


Pastry Cuddle

by ravenadottir



Category: Love Island (Video Game)
Genre: Developing Relationship, Established Relationship, F/M, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-20
Updated: 2020-05-17
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:41:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 85,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23751757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ravenadottir/pseuds/ravenadottir
Summary: Bobby was the first boy that caught your eye, and the only one you were loyal to.Together, you faced more than enough for a lifetime, in the span of just a month.But now that you're leaving the show, pocketing the prize, there's a whole new phase for you to live with him.He, as a boyfriend, on the outside, meeting his parents, dealing with his insecurities, always reminding him of the true, wonderful man he's becoming, and sharing  life a together.This is the story of Bobby, as not only a boyfriend, but everything he wants, and will, become, on the outside.
Relationships: Bobby McKenzie/Main Character (Love Island)
Comments: 11
Kudos: 85





	1. The First Look

“Maybe we could, like, find some kind of compromise. I know it’s early, so it’s cool if you’re not ready to talk about this. But what would you think about maybe moving in together? I’m always the first one to jump into big commitments like that, so maybe I’m being too hasty. But I can’t help it. I want as much of you in my life as possible.”

Those words resonate in your mind, as you remember the days and nights you spent with him. Playing in a sequel, you remember a new, different day. Bobby’s agitated voice towards you, and him, mid tears.

“Are you serious, Lass?! Are you actually serious?!”

He says, his voice in a distressed tone, as he paces around the room.

“I can’t believe you’d do that. You realize how much this affects both of us, right?!”

You can’t help but tear up. You feel your heart thumping. Your head going through the biggest moments between you two.

“I need you to listen to me, Bobby!”

Your voice echoes in your head, as you close your eyes to live that moment once more.

“You know how much you mean to me!!”

You take your hands to your face, start rubbing your temples, as you feel tears. You don’t hold them back anymore. You just let them stream down.

“This is it. I can’t believe you’re letting this happen!” - he says, voice trembling.

Bobby sits on the corner chair. He hugs his knees. You can hear him crying. There are wet spots on the carpet, you notice them as you approach him.

“I honestly didn’t think you’d do this. I really didn’t.”

You wipe your tears, putting on a brave face. Getting up from your seat, you open the door and look back at the room one last time. You take a deep breath. You’re ready to go.

~~

You wake up to the tuneful voice of a perky Bobby, singing a 90’s hit, but you can’t quite pin down which one.

“Is it morning already? It feels like I just went to sleep.” You think to yourself.

He’s getting out of the shower, shaking his wet head to eliminate the excess water. He circles the bed, leans in and gives your forehead a peck. “Morning, Lass.”

“You sound cheerful.” you sit on the bed, with your arms over your bended knees. “Very effective technique… by the way.” You gesture to his head, making him chuckle. “So, any particular reason to be singing so early?

“Har, har.” Bobby sits on the edge of the bed, slipping on his donut’s boxers. “Last night was amazing, babe.”

You realize it’s the morning after the finale. You see yourself in a hotel room, surrounded by suitcases and clothes all over the floor. There’s a bra hanging on the bathroom door, along with the matching bottoms by the window.

“Oh yeah…what happened again?” you frown in thought. Bobby throws his towel at you, as he laughs.

“I guess I need to step up my game. Am I that forgettable?”

You kneel on the bed, hugging him from behind, grazing your hands on his chest and kissing his neck. The scent of his body wash is strong, but pleasant. He smells like cinnamon buns. Warm, earthy and spicy cinnamon.

He smiles softly, closing his eyes, enjoying your mouth working from the back of his neck to his cheek, shivering and gripping your wrists, brushing his lips on the back of your hands. “Is this an invitation? Again?” he says, with a low voice, smiling through the words. “Seriously though, I can’t believe there were no cameras around. We finally had a night together, no cameras.”

“Well, erm…almost no cameras.” you say, getting up, stepping in the bathroom.

“Yeah.” He nods, but realization dawns on him. “Alm… wait what? Lass?!” his eyes go wide, as he follows you.

You take off your clothes and are very aware of his presence by the door, leaning against the frame. You can feel his eyes on you, as you climb in the shower. Your voice comes out muffled through the water and the shower box. “Ah, you know. Cell Phones have cameras.” you get in, leaving him with his mouth open.

“Wait… you filmed us…?” He stands by the shower door, waiting for your answer, hearing your laughter under the shower and moving to the sink, picking up his toothbrush.

“Maybe? I felt like something was missing… sorry.”

“Well, can’t say I wouldn’t watch that.” There’s a chuckle while he puts toothpaste on his brush, but his tone gets a little more serious. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure, babe.” you continue shampooing your hair.

“Are you nervous about meeting my parents?”

You drop the bottle, and it hits your big toe, hard. He stops, mid brushing, and smiles lightly as you curse your pain away. “Ow!! Son of a bitch!” you yell, holding up your foot, as you try to compose yourself to answer.

“Is everything ok in there?” he cocks his head, still in front of the sink, but starts walking towards the shower, when you don’t respond immediately, still holding the toothbrush, leaning on the wall.

“Yeah, I’m alright.” you massage your big toe, feeling the jolt of pain on the tip. “I’m really looking forward to meeting them.”

“Is that why you almost amputated your own toe with a shampoo bottle?” he laughs.

You take a deep breath, to help soothe the pain. “I won’t confirm nor deny.” Going back to your shower, Bobby cracks a small opening on the door.

“You know you have nothing to worry about, right? We already know they like you. The texts and all. The worst part is done.” He shrugs. “They already know I’m no longer a virgin.”

“Har, har.” you narrow your eyes, making him grin smugly. “I know. It’s just…they could… I don’t know, change their minds or something.”

“In three days? They’re not Chelsea.” He throws a dismissive hand. “You’re fine.”

Bobby’s eyes roam to your feet, and as he sees the coloration on your toe, he lets out a breathy “Ouch”. “Do you want me to take a look at it?”

“As if that’s not the only thing you’re thinking about!” you fold your arms over your wet chest, smirking.

“Ah! The foot fetish! It has transcended the Villa… what a joy!” he raises his brows, stuttering at first. “I told you, I was kid-kidding…”

You bite your lip to prevent a chuckle. “Honestly, babe? I’m not kink shaming you. And I’ve got cute toes, so it’s fine. Plus, you’re the one who brought it up…” You condition your hair, and turn, to see Bobby frowning. You tap your fingers against each other, in a conspiracy voice, with wide eyes. “Besides, everyone knows the truth. You can’t escape it.”

He turns to leave, but that doesn’t stop you. “The world knows, McKenzie! And the world remembers…”

He continues to brush his teeth, rinsing his mouth with a groan, and walking into the bedroom, letting a very bored “I know” come from out of his mouth.

You wrap your body in your towel, going back to the bedroom, hugging him from behind again. Bobby holds your hands, twining his fingers with yours. After a moment of satisfied sighs, he says. “You’re not letting it go, are you?” he looks at you expectantly, but with an amused look.

“Never.” you whisper in his ear, as you give it a little nibble. “And you do remember you asked me to move in with you, right?”

“Meaning?” his expectant eyes stay on yours as he turns to cross his arms.

“I’ll remember…forever.” you move on to your suitcase, looking for something to wear.

“That’s fine.” He shrugs. “You just said forever, so I’m cool with it.” He shakes his head, with a smile on the corner of his mouth, then sits on the bed, admiring you, resting his chin on his fist. After a long moment, watching you, Bobby continues. “I need to ask you something, just to make sure.”

“Yes, Bobby, I wanna move in with you.” you say, with a grin, but not turning.

“How did you know…?”

You cut him short. “I know you, and how much you care. You’re always making sure that you don’t pressure me, that I’m comfortable with whatever happens…” you slide your shorts up, finishing getting dressed. “And I love you for that.”

He lies down, propping on his elbows and smiles, looking up at you.

“I know you pretty well, boy. You can’t really hide anything.”

“Yes, you do know me pretty well…” his gaze follows you.

“Besides. I’m about to meet your parents, and that’s saying something. You’re the only boyfriend I’ve ever done that for.”

“Wow, suddenly I feel… what’s the word?” he mimics catching a piece of paper on the air.

You snap your fingers. “Special. The word is special. And don’t go thinking I don’t know what this is.” you mimic his moves. “You’re making fun of me for that impression. I just know it.”

“Lass, I am pretty subtle.”

You chuckle with your brows furrowed. “Whatever you say, babe.”


	2. Damerae and Aileen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the first night out of the Villa, you're heading from Spain to Scotland. More especifically, Glasgow, where bobby's parents live.  
> The nerves are getting the best of you. Not only you know Bobby for a month, because of a reality show, but you decided to move in together, and you're not quite sure how they're gonna react to the news.

You find yourself in Glasgow territory, after a not so great flight from Spain. It’s your first time ever in Scotland, and it’s to meet your boyfriend’s parents.

Right after closing the car door, you step into a puddle.

“Already off to a mediocre start.” You think to yourself, agitating your drenched leg. Distracted by the puddle, you casually look up, to be mesmerized.

A beautiful white house, with a set of navy-blue doors and roofs. Every little plant, or bush, neatly planted around the house, and a short, freshly mowed lawn. The double door garage, next to the main house, has a stone pathway, leading to the sidewalk, harmonizing perfectly with the beige path to the main door.

There’s a round front porch, perfectly finished with glass windows and furnished with benches and a coffee table, right in the middle. The treetops are rising above the house’s height, in the backyard, visible from the front sight.

You struggle to not stutter, giving this is the house Bobby grew up in. “This is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen…” you nudge Bobby, who is looking at the view almost in the same dazzled way you are.

“It’s pretty… awesome.” He sighs. “Shall we?” he gestures to the front of the house, inviting you with an extended arm.

“You grew up here? This place? Seriously?”

“Yeah, I was born and raised here. Moved downtown, to work at the hospital about 6 years ago… but yeah. Grew up in this house. Of course, it wasn’t always like this!” he throws a dismissive hand. “We used to have a tire swing on the front!”

You furrow your brows, looking for words to respond, but you don’t manage to find them. Bobby takes your hand and leads you to the door, and you hesitate. He turn to see you, a little on the edge. You notice he’s staring at you and your voice cracks, when you try to explain. “I’m nervous, babe.”

“I can see that. But don’t worry…” he holds your hand, tightly. “Only my mom is gonna hate you… my dad is fine.”

“What?!” you shout, not noticing the volume of your voice, your eyes wide. Beads of sweat were already forming on your forehead, and your legs start tingling, going numb. You hold on to his arm, breathing with difficulty.

“Kidding… I’m kidding, Lass.” he holds you, laughing softly. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. It’s a joke…”

“Ok…breathe…you’ll be fine. This is fine. This is…'' you exhale sharply from your mouth as Bobby fans you.

“I didn’t know you were so nervous.” he tries his best to give you some air, but you can’t catch your breath.

“It’s just that… I know how important your parents are to you. And I just… I don’t wanna let you down. What if I say the wrong thing? What if I like something that they don’t? What if I just can’t…”

He stares at you with a sad look, his eyes glistening a little. You stop talking, as he composes himself and holds your face in his hands, talking with a soft, but reassuring voice. His mittens, on your cheeks, smell like cinnamon.

“Lass… nothing you do could ever disappoint me. Ever.” he raises your hand, brushing his lips on your knuckles. “Do you hear me? Ever.

A smile grows on your lips and it’s easier to breathe. He keeps rubbing your back, trying to give you space to recompose yourself, breathing rhythmically with you After you give one last sharp puff of air, he gestures to the doorbell. “Should I…?”

You nod, and as soon as his finger presses the little navy button, footsteps can be heard from the inside. Your heart races, going miles per hour.

The door opens, to reveal a very elegant man, wearing a navy-blue T-shirt. “Very in theme” you think to yourself. His frame is slender, just like Bobby’s, and almost every detail in his height, hair lips and nose are about the same as Bobby. He’s undeniably your boyfriend’s father. Apart from the freckles, hair color and eyes. Damarae’s eyes are dark and filled with enough intimidation to make you take a step back. Perhaps that’s just the nerves, but at that moment, they looked scary.

“Dad!” Bobby opens his arms, the man immediately embracing his son with a wide smile across his face. They sway from side to side, mumbling under their breath. His father’s thick voice repeats the same phrase, over and over. “I’m so glad you’re here!”

As they start to pull away, you hear a feminine, raspy voice, approaching. “Oh my god, you’re here!” She doesn’t even wait for Damerae and Bobby to pull away completely from each other, and ends up embracing both. “Look at you! You’re radiant! I missed you so much, Bobbo…”

You can’t help yourself. “Bobbo? Like the clown Bobbo?” you say, chuckling under your breath, but not being able to stop.

You notice the three of them staring back at you. His mom, with a flicker of amusement in her eyes, and brows furrowed, make you straight yourself and extend your hand, offering a handshake.

Bobby tilts his head, looking at you, also amused. “Moving swiftly on… dad, mom…this is…” he gestures to you.

Aileen looks at you for a few seconds, then her expression softens and breaks into a large smile. She immediately goes to hug you, talking as soon as she pulls away. “I know who she is. She is your girlfriend. Isn’t that right, dear?” she elbows Damerae lightly on his ribs and he nods, staring at his son with a scornful look.

“It’s a relief she has a good sense of humor.” his father puts his hand on Bobby’s shoulder and gives it a little squeeze. “And yes. Just like the clown! Courtesy of Janis!” He laughs, relaxed, also giving you a hug. “Come on in. You’re just in time for lunch…” he trails off, stepping in the house.

You and Bobby follow them, closing the door behind you, noticing the details on Aileen’s appearance. Her dark, wavy hair cascades on her back, gracefully. She’s also very slender, very gracious with her hand gestures and walk. Her light green eyes and pale skin are framed with light beige freckles. Her features are very similar to Bobby’s, especially the face shape and the tiny wrinkles on the corners of her eyes, when she smiles.

“Your parents are gorgeous!” you nudge Bobby, nodding at both of his parents as they walk in front of you, showing around the house. He winks at you, gesturing to himself, mouthing “What did you expect?” with a smug look. You slap his arm, playfully as you start paying attention to the details of the house.

The dining room table is set for four places. You take a seat on the velvety, mauve chair, observing the dark tabletop, ornate with linen napkins, white plates and silverware. A tall, vivacious Ficus brings life to the corner of the room, right next to the cupboard that shelters wine glasses, tumblers and booze. As your eyes roam on the sheer, light curtains, framing the tall window, Aileen removes the cloches, a wonderful smell filling in the room.

“Is that stroganoff?!” you exclaim, surprised, seeing the beautiful color of the dish on a serving bowl.

“Bobby said it was your favorite.” Damerae looks expectantly at Bobby, but you don’t let him answer.

“It is. I’m just… pleasantly surprised. You didn’t have to make my favorite.” you explain yourself, noticing amusement on both of Bobby’s parents.

“She’s a sweetheart, son.” Aileen begins to pour the food, and the rest of you follow her lead.

“So, where is Janis?” Bobby scoops the food, paying enough attention to not spill or drop anything. “Is she still on vacation?”

“Oh, yeah. She’s travelling with her friends, but she’ll be here in the last week of Summer.” Aileen smiles, taking a seat and adjusting herself on the chair.

“Besides, she wouldn’t miss her big brother coming back, right?” Damerae looks at Bobby, but his tone is a little distant.

“Well, I’m excited to meet her! Anyone who eats balm already has a lot of points in my book!” you sit as well, opening the napkin on your lap.

“Hey, I ate balm!” Bobby says with a smile.

“Exactly…”

Lunch goes smoothly, Bobby’s parents tell you a few stories from his childhood, and embarrass him, in the process.

“I swear, he peed himself! Again! He had to use a tablecloth, because the woman didn’t have a single thing to wrap this boy in.” Aileen cries from laughter.

“You know, that’s the second time I hear about Bobby peeing himself as a child.” you feel much more relaxed and at home, once Aileen and Damerae continue to embarrass their son.

“Mom, please… she’s already scarred for life!” he pinches the bridge of his nose.

Bobby blushes constantly, as they tell you more anecdotes, making sure you’re equipped with enough stories to make him think twice, before making fun of you. His father suddenly claps his hands and interrupts the story. “Sorry, sorry.” he stops laughing. “Maybe it's time to tell her about the fruit salad, perhaps?” he looks at Bobby, pointedly, expecting his reaction.

You never saw him so flustered over a simple mention of a story. He shakes his head with eyes wide, trying to stop them from telling you the tale he’s so self-conscious. His parents step aside to bring dessert, going in the kitchen, on the other side of the room.

You pull Bobby closer, out of earshot. “Are you okay, babe?” you wipe tears from your eyes, as you compose yourself from the laughter.

“Yeah... is just that… I-I have a lot of stories like that. You’re gonna think our child is gonna have incontinence or something. Like, it’s genetic, ya know!”

You furrow your brows, and your lips break into a smile. “Our child huh?” you put your hand on his. “I can only hope our child is as funny, talented and cute as you. Even with an incontinence problem…”

He pulls you into a hug, leaning in to whisper close to your ear. “Actually, I was hoping they’d be more like you. The sweetest, smartest and most beautiful person I’ve ever met.” He pulls away with a sweet smile. “You know… besides Cardi.” he goes to rub his nose on yours, but you pull back.

“Cardi? Really?” you fold your arms, narrowing your eyes. “I thought you said ‘sweetest, smartest and most beautiful person…’ Where's Cardi fitting in there?”

“I’m sorry. It’s just… Cardi B…” he scratches his head.

“You do know she drugged men and stole from them, right?”

He’s taken aback, and you roll your eyes, luring a laugh from him. You touch the tip of his nose, with your fingertip. “Boop… I got you this time…”

“You already got me.” He gives you a sincere look. “Since the first time I saw you, Lass. I knew it had to be you.” He kisses you on the lips, pulling away with a smile.

“Wow… you really are a suck up, aren’t you McKenzie.”

“W-what…?”

“All this because of Cardi? You don’t have to charm me because you're crushing on her.”

“W-what… I’m not… doing that!” he chuckles.

“Sure you’re not.” You wink at him, kissing his cheek. A sound comes from the door where Aileen and Damerae hum the wedding song.

“Ok, ok. Did you enjoy the show?” Bobby gets up to help them carry the plates and spoons.

“It’s quite cute, son. And you know I’m never gonna waste the opportunity of making fun of you.” His father smiles at you, winking with amusement. “Besides, you two remind me of when your mother and I first met.”

They take their seats as you dig in the dessert.

“Really?” you say, letting Bobby pour the caramel of the sweet dish.

“Well, Damerae and I met back in college.” They join hands on the table, beaming at each other. “We just knew.”

She shrugs. “But I don’t wanna bore you with the details, let’s dig in!'' She gestures to the plates, taking a first spoonful of the dessert, sharing more stories of Bobby and Janis as the afternoon turns into night.

The conversation moves to the living room, and you’re not surprised at all with the neatly arranged furniture around the light wooden coffee table. Bobby takes a seat on the leather couch, taking a few throw pillows out of the way, so you can join him. Aileen and Damerae sit on the twin chairs, pointing at the fireplace, right in front of fuzzy poufs that lie on the corner of your seat.

Immediately a scent of Fennel emanates from the vase in front of you, along with a minty plant on a different vessel, right next to it. The room has multiple windows, letting the sunset colors enter the room.

As you take in the art pieces hanging on the walls, or arranged on shelves above the furniture, Bobby rubs his palms, getting ready to speak first. He glances at you, as if he was preparing yourselves to talk about a more serious subject.

“Mom, dad. We… have something to tell you.” His tone is serious, and he takes your hand in his. Realization dawns and you understand what he’s about to say. You look at him, trying to stall, but he nods. “It’s ok babe. I wanna tell them.”

The two of them look up at you, expectantly, lacing their fingers on their knees, after crossing their legs. Bobby doesn’t even warm them up, blurting it out the news. “We’re moving in together.”

A silence goes for a few seconds, but it does feel like eternity. You feel your heart thumping and your cheeks reaching new temperatures you didn’t even know it was possible to feel.

Both Damerae and Aileen get, without saying anything, approaching your set, on the couch. As if in a reflex, you also jolt from your seat, followed by Bobby. After a long look, they throw their arms around you both, bringing you into a group hug. You frown in confusion, chuckling with embarrassment, not really understanding what’s going on.

You all pull away and Bobby’s mother is already catching tears with her well-manicured hand. “That is amazing, son.” His father puts his arm around her, and Bobby tilts his head, searching for her eyes.

“I’m hoping these are happy tears, mom?” he glances at you, a little unsure.

“Of course, they are! I’m so happy for you two. We’ve seen how far you two have come.” She gestures to you and him, in turns.

“Wow, you really are locking it down, huh?” his father grins, giving his son a cheeky wink.

“I mean. Can you blame me? Look at her!” Bobby smiles with relief, kissing the back of your hand.

You feel confusion must be stamped all over your face when you can’t hold back your doubts. “You don’t think it’s too early?”

How is it possible that two 50-year-olds are not only accepting it really well, but are also supportive about you and their son, moving in together, after knowing each other for only a month.

Aileen looks at you with tender eyes. “No, honey. Anyone that has seen the show, have seen you two together, would be crazy not to admit that you’re made for each other…” her voice cracks, and tears go down again.

You’re now convinced they’re not joking. Damerae speaks with a happy, but firm voice. “I agree. Why waste time, if you love each other?” I proposed to Aileen after six months of dating.” He smiles at his wife, kissing her temple as she recomposes from her weeping. “We’ve been together for 28 years.”

Your brows raise, suddenly and involuntarily. “Whoa! Really? That’s so awesome!” you can’t help but smile, feeling more confident about this afternoon.

“Yes, and we have a great marriage. A wonderful son, wonderful daughter… that sometimes shows up. It’s…” he trails off but picks it up almost right away when he stares into Aileen’s eyes. “When you know, you know.” Damerae drapes an arm on his wife’s shoulder.

“Thanks, dad, thanks mom.” Bobby goes to hug them, surprising them.

“We’re huggers, hun. Come here.” Aileen opens her arms, embracing you along with the other two.

You can’t help but feeling confident about your relationship. Your biggest fear was Bobby’s parents’ disapproval, especially about your decision of moving in, right away. Being in their home, feeling so welcomed into the family definitely erased those doubts, and for once, after you left the show, you can breathe, relieved.

The rest of the afternoon is filled with more stories of Bobby’s childhood, also a couple of anecdotes about Janis’. But after spending the entire day at their house, you still have to go to Bobby’s place, to get some sleep.

It’s been a long day, coming back from Spain, going straight to his parents’ house, and meeting them.

“The car is here, babe.” You scroll through your phone, checking the app.

He gets up from the couch, making sure to pick up the bags and moving them to the front. “Alright. We have to go.”

Aileen and Damerae follow you to the door, his father picking up a couple of suitcases, to help his son carry them out. You also pick up a couple, making Aileen’s eyes go wide.

“Wow… you’re strong.” She chuckles. “So, you did lift that boy in the show, huh?”

You turn to look at her, with a grin, walking outside and putting the suitcases in the trunk. “I work out, Aileen.” She laughs, following you, crossing her arms to prevent the cold wind. After everything is set, Bobby hugs his parents, in turns, you follow his lead, saying your goodbyes.

“Promise… we’ll be here for the Holidays, if you’re in town by then!” Bobby pecks his mom’s cheeks.

“Wait, if you’re in town?” you furrow your brows, squeezing her hand after the hug.

“Well, we do have family everywhere, hun. Some years, we visit Damerae’s family in Jamaica.”

“and some, we stay to celebrate it with Aileen’s.” Bobby’s father grips Aileen’s waist, bringing her closer. “So, we don’t know if we’re gonna be around.”

“I see. That must be really great! Christmas in Jamaica? Sounds awesome!” they nod, knowingly. You chuckle, hoping in the car. Bobby sits next to you, waving them as you leave.

They stay by the curb, waving as the car drives away.

“So… scary, huh?” Bobby nudges you with a grin.

“Har, har…”

He brings you closer, kissing the top of your head, mumbling. “Silly.”

Next stop is Bobby’s place. A sudden thought comes to your mind.

“Oh, you’re gonna have a Cardi B poster on your wall, aren’t you?” you facepalm, staring at him, expectantly. He perches his lips, shrugging.

“You think I’m that predictable?”

“Yes… I really do.”

He tilts his head. “Well… you’re right.”


	3. Bobby's Place

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You leave his parents' house to go to Bobby's place, downtown. you have no idea what to expect.  
> Once you get there, you and Bobby share a night together, and you finally get your hands on your prize: the shirt.  
> The one you won on the cake bet, and it was promised to you, very early in your relationship.

Carrying your bags from the elevator, Bobby grabs his keys from his pocket, unlocking his apartment door. You’re pleasantly surprised once he opens it, revealing a fully decorated, and very tied up, living room. You glimpse at a few succulents on a console table, immediately thinking to yourself.

“Not the best plants to have in Glasgow…” you squint, noticing they’re artificial. “Oh wait. They’re faux. Never mind… thank god I didn’t mock him. He would never let me hear the end of it.”

You’re interrupted, mid thought, when Bobby opens the dark turquoise curtains, sliding the glass sheets to reveal a medium-size balcony. A light breeze and a thin golden light come in. He takes a deep breath, propping on his hands on the rail, taking in the view.

You cock your head to see where the light comes from, he beckons you to get closer, pointing to the street below the window. “It’s from the diner on the back side of the building. There’s a commercial street… right there.”

You follow his finger, to see a vivid avenue, and a few small establishments. From the look of the main doors, you can spot a post office, a Japanese restaurant, a dive bar and a women clothes store, on the other side of the street.

“Wow, it’s quite practical. I live in the middle of London, but it’s always a mess.” You turn to look at the couch, a dark blue, thick fabric, with two large seats, and a few throw pillows arranged by size, in line from one armrest to the other.

You’re not surprised by the cupcake thin blanket on the backrest.

Right in front of the sofa, a coffee table. Thin metal legs and a light grey top. A few cooking magazines on a stack on the side of a bowl, where he drops his keys and wallet. Not even a foot from the table, there’s a wooden TV rack, sheltering not only the device, but also a couple of videogame consoles and a vase with a long snake plant.

“No surprises there.” you point to the blanket, moving to take a seat. “This is so cute!” you drape your arms on the backrest, your gaze roaming the other details of his living room. “That’s not at all what I was expecting.”

“You don’t like it?” Bobby frowns slightly, walking around the table to light up a sconce right above the TV rack.

“No, I… I love it. It’s so cute. I thought this was gonna be like… I-I don’t know what I was expecting. Really. It’s too cute to be true.” You narrow your eyes. “You said you were a slob.”

“Well… I am… sort of. But I cleaned my apartment before leaving. I figured if I had someone over, they should be pleasantly surprised, not wanting to run away from it.” He gestures to his surroundings.

Just then, you spot a few posters spread across the walls. Cardi B, Salt n’ Peppa, Lil Kim, Tupac. The whole 90’s hip hop shebang, and his celebrity crush. “Argh…Cardi B.”

“You like the Cardi one?” he poses in front of it, crossing his arms on his chest and pouting. You roll your eyes, in response.

“Sure. It’s lovely.” you don’t say anything else, to his delight.

“Don’t be jealous. I love you. Cardi is just…you know… a crush.” He starts walking towards you.

“I expected more from you, McKenzie…”

He gives you a cheeky wink and you narrow your eyes at him, with a sarcastic perching of lips. Bobby laughs, approaching you on your seat, and taking your hand, to show you the rest of the apartment. “Come. I think you’re gonna like the kitchen.” He raises his brows with an excited bite on his bottom lip.

He turns the lights on, and you step in, seeing the three large yellow bulbs on the ceiling illuminate the room. Light wooden shelves float everywhere, containing several mugs and plates. The walls are covered in a very light grey marble wallpaper, giving the room a light mood to it.

“Wooden spoons? Check. A ton of them? Double check.” You roam your finger, forming a trace between the jars and cans, containing at least two dozen silicone spatulas across the kitchen.

Standing by the door, you see three acrylic boxes, with wooden frames, hanging on the wall. One has a very old, and very used, long wooden spoon. The second one, an apron that looks like it has a couple of burn spots. And the third one, a small, light grey, ceramic bowl. It has a few chips on the rim, but it’s intact overall.

All very neat and organized, as you expected from him. You knew there might’ve been some casualties on the rest of the house, but Bobby was always very clean in the Villa kitchen, so you assumed he would be the same, back home.

“This kitchen is so… you.” you point to the three framed boxes next to the door. “Babe, what are those?”

“What are thoooooose? Right?” he nudges you with an expectant look, but you just chuckle lightly, pinching the bridge of your nose. He clears his throat. “Sorry. Moving on.”

He stands in front of them, grazing his fingers on the frames, with a fond look. “So, these are my first bowl, my first apron and my first wooden spoon.”

“Aw, that’s so adorable!” you pinch his cheeks, with a smile.

He tilts his head, looking back at the objects inside. “Yeah, my grandmother gave me my first wooden spoon, when I was 5. I used to help her around the kitchen, all the time. She’s more of a cook, but she taught me a lot! If I can cook any Jamaican dish today, it’s because of her.”

Bobby laces his fingers behind his back, his eyes falling on the light blue apron inside of the glass. “The apron was a gift from my grandfather. Now he was a baker... and a really gifted one. He taught me everything I know.” His eyes go to look at you, with a fond chuckle. “Cakes, bread, icings, fillings, syrups… you name it! The old man wouldn’t let me out of the kitchen before teaching something new.”

The third glass case with the bowl seems to make Bobby’s voice crack a little. “And the bowl was the very first thing I ever bought, with my own money. I was 6. My dad gave me some cash, because I helped my aunts cleaning the garden… it was the first time he took me to Gillies. Because I asked him…”

“Huh… 6-year-olds were going to toy stores, but you were visiting home wear... that’s adorable, babe. I can just picture you, running along the aisles, looking for a perfect bowl to make a cake mix!” you glide your fingers on his shoulders, making him blush.

“I guess… I had a lot of fun in the kitchen. You know, every time my grandparents visited, or we visited them, it was always the three of us, making sure everyone was fed.”

“You know, that’s really cool. I wish I had something like that, you know. You’re a pastry chef that learned from your grandparents. That’s really nice.” You trail off. “You must have a lot of memories with them.”

“Yeah. These…” he points to three cases. “they remind me of everything I’ve learned, and that I still haven’t learned everything.” His words make you smile. You love to hear Bobby talking with such passion.

“Inspiring… and I mean it.” you give him a peck on his cheeks. He shuts his eyes, feeling your warmth while it lasts. “Hey, what about Janis?”

“Janis does not like the kitchen…” he laughs. “She manages to burn anything you put in front of her. It's unsettling, really.”

“Seems like we might get along just fine.” You laugh.

“Don’t sell yourself short. You can handle the kitchen pretty well!” he takes your hand, but glances at the wooden spoon, a little lost for words.

Walking toward the large window, above the sink, there are two counters, on opposite walls from each other, with hanging cabinets right above them. A lot of counter space, and in the center of the room, a spacious kitchen island, equipped with metallic and ceramic bowls and pans, a few jars of utensils and lots of different size trays. You notice the sink draws are small, but numerous. Two sets of six, with tags in front of every single one of them.

Bobby opens one of the refrigerators, one on two on each side of his stove. He grabs a can of soda and toss it to you, taking one for himself.

“Wow… you better get out of the splash zone, then.” You wave the can in the air, with a smile.

“Nah, I have a good tossing technique. Open it.” He nods to the beverage in your hands.

“Ok. Come closer, babe.” You raise your brows, suggestively, beckoning him.

“Alright.” He smirks, pressing his body behind yours. “Go ahead. I promise you. It’s infallible.” The satisfying fizzing noise makes you beam at him, surprised.

“You gotta teach me that trick! That’s awesome!”

“Someday.” He tilts his head, looking at you as you take a large sip, also opening his own, to drink it. “So, bedroom?”

“Just like that, huh?”

“Heey, I did give you a drink first.” He nods to the soda.

“Har, har.”

Bobby takes your hand, walking down the small hallway of his apartment, going through more posters hanging on his dark blue walls. One in particular, of Motown, the record company. It reminds you of the challenge where you found out Bobby used to sing in a punk rock band.

“You know… someday I’m gonna need to see anything you have with ‘Paisley Cuddle’…”

“Ah! Good times!” he grins. “I’ll show you some stuff later.”

“Please tell me you’re the kind of the guy to be a little extra on stage.”

Bobby raises his brows, winking with a certain tone of suggestion to it.

“Can’t wait!”

He switches the lights, stepping aside for you to walk in. Immediately, the first thing visible, and very hard to miss, is his king-size bed, with a black metal frame, resting against a grey brick wall. Two sconces hanging on each side of the bed frame, hanging above two nightstands.

He moves to the window, setting the curtain aside, opening the ledge. Same streetlights come in, just like those from the living room, but the sheer curtains filter the beams, letting the rays crash in, in a milky tone.

The biggest surprise is probably the leather trunk, under the window, covered with three sets of buckles, in a lighter color. A few small pillows cover the surface, and you stare at it, curious.

“I read there.” he points to the trunk, catching your attention. “To be fair, I don’t read much. But when I do, I do it sitting on this guy.” He mimics a book in his hands and a pipe in his mouth, as he crosses his legs, sitting on the piece of furniture. “This is my smart smouldering, by the way. In case it wasn’t clear.” He stares back at you, giving some sort of smart and stuck up look combo, still mimicking a pipe in his lips.

“Oh, it was clear. You nailed it. Fancy… kind of a douche, but fancy, overall.” you laugh, shaking your head.

“Right? I learned from the worst.” He chuckles, then cocks his head when you turn, seeing a double door closet on the other side of the bedroom. “That’s my closet.”

“Cool.” You give the look back, cupping your chin. “I sense there’s a gigantic variety of colors in there?”

Bobby gets up, standing behind you, resting his chin on your shoulder, speaking close to your ear. “You know me so well…”

The doors are the same color as the walls, but before you can notice the details, it hits you. “Favorite shirt”. You mumble.

“What’s going on?” he pulls away as you turn to look at him. “what are you talking about?”

“Your favorite shirt is mine, remember?” Bobby facepalms when hear you talking, almost in an involuntary way. You continue, with a smug smile on your lips. “The cake bet. Ooh, we’re so in theme, aren’t we ‘Pastry boy’?”

“Riiight… so… favorite shirt… it’s in my, erm…” he trails off, looking at his surroundings, as if trying to find an excuse. “… parents’ house. You should’ve told me there! I would’ve totally given it to you.”

You jab a finger on his chest. “Lies. All lies. It’s in here.” you look at the furniture, noticing a dresser besides the window. “I know it’s here, Mc Kenzie.”

“No, you don’t. Because it’s not here!” he rushes to shut the closet doors behind him, leaving his soda on a side table, close to the bed. “So, there you go. It’s not here, you’re wrong… move along.” He throws a dismissive hand at you.

You narrow your eyes, folding your arms, a disappointed tone to your voice. “You were a judge, Bobby. Nay, you were The Judge Bobby. How dare you?” you move to stand close to him, while he laces his fingers behind his back, but this time, with nervous energy.

“Fine.” He raises his hands. “If you guess which one it is, it’s yours.” he welcomes you to investigate his closet.

“First of all, it’s already mine. Second, how dare you deny what’s mine per right? I can put you in jail, you know.”

“No, you can’t!” he sits on the bed, amused, and grinning, he crosses his arms defiantly.

“Yes, I can honey.” you stand in front of the closet. “The shirt is legally mine. You said it on camera, and everyone saw it.”

“Ok, I know it is… yours. Just… amuse me. Show me my favorite shirt, if you know me so well.” He squints, nodding the double doors.

“Fine. I’ll amuse you. Let me see.”

Opening the closet, you start flipping through a few of the hanging shirts. Lots of colors and prints, nothing you didn’t expect. It’s pretty much the same wardrobe he had, back in the Villa. One by one, you slide their hangers to the opposite side, in search of your prize.

None of them make sense, not really. There’s no click when you touch them, they all seem to be outfits for parties or nights out, and you’re looking for his favorite. There’s no way Bobby’s favorite shirt, out of them all, is something to go out in. It must be something personal and special.

You remember the first time you shared a bed with him, after he chose you. He was much more comfortable and then, it hits you.

You move from the closet to the head of the bed, leaning in, your gaze on Bobby’s. He gets up quickly and goes to stop you. “What are you doing, Lass?”

You hold one finger up, dismantling the pillows and the duvet, throwing them on the extension of the bed, then gliding your fingers under the bed sheet, finding a small bulge under the fabric. Bobby’s eyes go wide, but he has a hint of pride and surprise in them, once you pick up a perfectly inside out, folded t-shirt.

“Ah! There it is.” you hold it, like a platter, on both hands. “The favorite. Can we have some nuns chanting angelical stuff, please?”

“Nope, you’re wrong.” he shakes his head, with a careless look on his face, but you catch his eyes falling on the shirt with worry.

“Well, in that case, you wouldn’t mind if I… say… tear it… or cut it.” you walk to the kitchen, Bobby on tow.

“Good luck finding scissors, Lass.” He stands behind the kitchen island while you’re in front of the sink. He gives you a smug look, propping on his hands, eyes following your every move.

You focus on the small drawers below the sink, choosing one at random. “Jackpot.” you find it in one attempt, holding the scissors up, and lets out a very, very amused chuckle. “I know everything about you, Bobby. I told you. Wish I had a second bet. I would love to leave you without your pants, too.” You glimpse at his waist, making him blush with narrowed eyes.

“Fine. You found it…” he looks defeated. “That’s the one. My favorite shirt. But please don’t hurt it… it means a lot to me.” He takes it from your hands, stroking it and looking at it, fondly. Suddenly he rushes out of the kitchen, towards the bedroom, slamming the door behind him.

“Hey! That’s my shirt!” you follow, banging on the door, hearing Bobby going back and forth.

His laugh is insufferable from the other side of the door and you can’t help but say. “If you laugh like a villain, I’m gonna kick this door open.” Just like you predicted, you hear it.

“You’ll never catch it alive, Lass! Muahahahaha…”

“Is that a challenge?” you start laughing, imagining the look on his face once you find the shirt, again, proving you know him better than he thinks. “And the ‘villain laugh’? Once was enough…”

You hear his genuine hissing chuckle, along with drawers banging, bathroom noises like cabinet doors. Finally, he opens the door. “Good luck, Lass. You might know me pretty well, but you don’t know the apartment.”

“Ok. First… seriously? The Dracula laugh… it needs to stop.” he shrugs. “Second… I feel like I should earn something, after I find this shirt, again.”

“Trust me, the shirt is a prize on its own. If you find it, not only it’s yours, but you can tell everyone about it.”

“I’ll be the judge of that. And yes! If you’re going through so much trouble, it must be one hell of an embarrassment!”

Another smug smile crosses his lips, and he leans on the door, letting you in. “What’s up? Can’t find it?”

“I didn’t even start! But I will, don’t worry your pretty little head.” he laughs, making you squint. “Debauchery, huh? Say, when I find it, I think I deserve another prize.”

“And I’ll be happy to grant it to you, whatever it is.”

You scan the room, eyeing every possible corner, hearing his mockery behind you. “I’m sure you’ll do a great job, now tell me…” you turn to gaze at him, and then you notice his coat. Buttoned all the way up. You don’t even hear what he said next, walking towards him, grabbing his upper arms. Once he’s staring at you, curiously, you nod to his chest. “Coat. Off.”

“What? At a time like this, that’s how you wanna win the game? By seducing your opponent?” he throws his arms to the side, gripping his own waist. “I mean, it will work, but, Lass, I’m cold, I need my coat.”

“Bobby, it’s July. Take off your coat. I have a bet to win. Another one.”

You raise your brows, expectantly, waiting for him to remove the piece. He stares back at you, arms crossed, narrowed eyes, almost smiling but trying not to, visibly amused.

“You know I can make you, right?”

“Sure.” His defiant tone makes you shrug off your own jacket, tossing it to the bed, keeping eye contact with him. He doesn’t even notice, but a smile spreads across his lips while you do it. “You want me to continue?”

“By my guest.” He gestures, with nonchalance.

You bite your bottom lip, unlooping the buttons of your dress, one by one, gazing at Bobby’s grin. His hands graze his own buttons, and he stops himself.

“What’s wrong, Bobby? Feeling warm? Wanna take off the coat?”

He rolls his eyes with a sigh. “I-I… fine. But just so you know, it’s not because you’re stripping in front of me.”

“Sure, it isn’t… now… go on.” You wave your hand, towards the buttons.

He removes it, slowly revealing the t-shirt underneath. You squint to see a very worn out collar, and a few holes all over the fabric. So wretched and enlarged from being used. In the middle, a photo of a toddler Bobby, holding the very same wooden spoon, from the kitchen, and a plastic bowl, smiling without the two front teeth. Right above the picture, in bold and high key letters, you can read  **“YODA BEST CHEF”** .

You stifle a laugh, but your heart melts with the young Bobby from the picture, rubbing your finger on your lip. Just then, you notice his costume, dressed as Yoda, from Star Wars, except he’s not wearing any pants. You don’t wanna admit, but it’s a very cute picture, despite the lack of his bottoms.

You look at him, noticing he’s not amused at all, staring back at you, knowing you’re holding back. “Is this the one, Bobby?”

He responds with annoyance. “Yes”. You can’t help it and let a laugh bolt from your chest. It’s just too adorable to be true, and knowing Bobby, this shirt means a lot to him. You’re laughing more at his reaction than the actual shirt. The picture and the title are adorable, but Bobby’s irritation is unmatched, and you’ve never seen it before. Not at this level. Not even a reactionary laugh.

He wasn’t that annoyed when Gary ruined one of his outfits, by trying to slip it on and tearing it apart, Hulk style. You can hear his sighs the more you laugh. “You know what? This shirt deserves better than this. It’s a great shirt!” he furrows his brows.

“I completely agree with you, Bobby. I have to admit, it’s a great shirt!” you gesture to the kid version, no pants on. “Say, did you pee yourself on this day too?”

You gaze at him with expectation, hoping is one of the stories Aileen and Damerae told you, earlier. Not pleased, Bobby shakes his head, still crossing his arms. “I didn’t… I didn’t do that. I just spilled something on the pants, and that happened right before they took the picture. My nan bought something for me to wear… suffice to say, she thought it was Janis who spilled the juice, and I wore it for the rest of the day.”

“What was it?” you’re genuinely curious, wild eyes.

“That was… the first time I knew I rocked a dress, ok?” You scratch your head, suppressing a chuckle. “I don’t mind! I know I look fabulous in dresses! We’ve all seen it!”

“Right.” You approach him, unfolding his arms. “You do know this shirt is hella cute, right?”

He raises his eyes to look at you, a light smile appearing on the corner of his mouth. “It is?”

“Yeah. And you were very cute, too.”

“What do you mean “were”?”

You roll your eyes, kissing his cheek. “You’re right. You were a very cute kid and continue being cute. Ok? Is that better?”

“Well, it’s more accurate, really.” He shrugs but can’t help softening his expression.

“Ok, now hand it over.”

“No. You’re not getting it. This is a very treasured memory, and you disrespected it, ma’am.” He turns on his heel to leave. “I’m lowkey gutted by your laughter.”

“Ha! Ok. First of all. I was laughing at you, not at the shirt. It’s actually adorable. Second, I’ll take it off of you, if I want to. I think we know that’s the absolute truth at this point.”

He paces faster, towards the bedroom. “I would like to see you try.”

You catch up to him, by the bedroom door, pushing and tackling him to the bed, pinning his arms while you sit astride of him. “Take it off.”

“Is it wrong that I’m kinda turned on, right now?”

“Don’t change the subject. This is mine.” You point to his chest, attempting to strip him, but Bobby blocks every hit.

“You take advantage of the fact that you’re a gym buff. It’s not fair.” He grabs your fist, grinning while looking up at you.

“I don’t want to hurt you, Bobby, but you’re giving me no choice.” you continue to sway his hands. “You know I can lift Gary, right?”

“So what? What are you gonna do? Lift me? How’s that gonna help?” he lets go of your fist, and tickles your sides, to tackle you on the mattress.

“Low blow, sir! Low blow.”

You manage to keep him in place, straddling him, even harder, planting your thighs on the sides of his abdomen. Between your swings and his blocks, you catch each other’s eyes while you laugh together.

His gaze is tender as he lowers his own hands in defeat. You stop the attack, looking back and smiling softly, shaking your head.

“You’re the most beautiful girl I’ve ever met.” he says, in a low voice.

“Yeah, you’ve said that a couple times.” you put a couple of strands of your hair behind your ear. “You really play dirty, don’t you?”

“Nah. I tell it how it is… if I said more than once, it must be true, then.” His lips curl into a grin and he lifts his upper body, grazing his thumb on your cheek, leaning in closer. “Lass?”

“Yeah?”

He whispers softly in your ear. “I love you.”

Without waiting for an answer, Bobby brushes his lips on yours, his thumb now going down, from your jaw, to your collarbone.

“I love you, too, babe…”

You deepen the kiss, holding on to his upper arms as he, slowly, dives his hands under your dress, to slide it off through your head. Your hair falls on your shoulders as he throws the piece on the other side of the room, not looking where it landed.

You chuckle, restarting the kiss, while he unhooks your bra, letting your parted lips hang while he roams his mouth on your collarbone.

Butterflies in your stomach, you feel Bobby’s warm breath going from one side of your chest, to the other, licking his way to your neck and nipping near your throat.

He moans, close to your chin, gripping your waist. “I want you.”

Your hands grab the rim of his shirt, taking it off, while you share a smile. Getting up, you remove your underwear, the fabric grazing on your skin, slowly enticing Bobby to bite his lips, while he watches with hungry eyes. “How do you want me, babe?” you say in a low voice as well.

His fingers travel on the sides of your hips, bringing you back to your position, astride of him. “Just like this.” He squeezes your thighs, moving his fingertips to your back, his lips on your neck.

You hold on, clasping his head, kissing him deeply, while letting your hips meet, Bobby slowly sinking into you, your sensitive skins touching. His eyes look into yours and a gasp escapes his lips while he shuts his eyes, feeling your warmth.

The back of his head touches the wall behind the bed, letting his stomach show its twitches while he thrusts.

“Lass…” he exhales from his mouth, watching you move against him, grinding slowly on his lap while tossing your hair to the side, giving Bobby the space to nibble your ear. He moans, repeatedly, grazing his teeth on your neck and moving up, making your hairs stand on end.

You feel your heart racing, picking up tempo, surrendering to the soreness below your waistline. Delicious waves of pleasure ripple through your skin, making you lean in to bite his lip while you ride him, nonstop.

You see his chest tightening while he breathes hard, placing his thumbs on the sides of your stomach, making you move in sync with him. He squeezes your curves, almost unable to grunt your name, properly.

You rank your fingernails on his upper arms, scratching their way to his chest, rocking your hips. Electrical crests build up, sending shivers down your spine, a groan of pleasure coming out of your mouth, involuntarily, when he scoops your hair to the side, to look at you.

He smiles, watching the dimples of your hips show while you ride, hissing with pleasure.

Beads of sweat start forming on your temples, and his. Bobby grits his teeth, feeling your drenched skin tightening up around his. His whispers become more frequent, the faster you grind.

He pleads, calling out your name. You feel yourself trembling, on top of him, your legs shaking with a heat, rolling your eyes with delight. He picks up the slack, moving himself up, to go deeper in you.

You grunt, tumbling into bliss, holding on to Bobby’s thighs as your body rolls on top of him. He circles your waist, bringing you closer and resting his forehead on your chest while thrusting up, making you shudder.

You breathe with difficulty and he slows his pace, licking a line from the middle of your chest, to your chin, catching your lips with his, in a hungry kiss.

Your moans become less frequent, but still hearty. You get up, positioning yourself to prop on your knees and hands, on the middle of the bed. Bobby goes to sit on his knees, behind you. His warmth is present around your hips and he bends over your back, his fingers twining in the root of your hair, pulling it gently. You hiss, smirking, looking back at him.

He keeps the eye contact, moving forward, slowly pressing his body against yours. His free hand grips your shoulder, and he licks his way up, from your lower back to your neck, while moving his hip back and forth, breathing closely to your ear.

You can make his words, while he rolls his body. “Oh my god, Lass.”

You rear up, letting Bobby go deeper with every stroke. His face stays close to yours, breathing your name. Crossing one arm on your chest, you and he move together, teasing each other’s grunts.

You look back, to see Bobby’s abs contracting with the movements of his body. Sweat drips from his temples, and his muscles twitch while they move, to give you what you need.

You dig your nails on the side of his thigh, moaning through your teeth, you both grinding faster, shuddering. He tosses his head back, his eyes shut. You prop on your hands, feeling your entire body trembling with electrical energy, pleading for more, reaching your ecstasy. His torso on your back, he cries out your name, melting inside of you, thrusting firmly. You feel his sensitive skin twitching inside of you while he moves slower, guttural sounds close to your ear.

Your heart beats fast, you feel his arms embracing you. A soft bite lingers on your shoulder blades as Bobby catches his breath, ceasing almost completely, embracing you protectively.

“Oh my god…” he mumbles, bringing you to lie with him, your head resting on his chest. “Damn…”.

You chuckle, now breathing almost at a normal rate, feeling his knuckles grazing on your arms, once you settle next to him. “I know…” your voice is weak, but you laugh along with him.

His words come out with a low tone. “No phone cameras this time… right?”

“Nope… didn’t have the time…”

His fingers move your hair to the side, your roots damped with sweat. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too, babe…”

It doesn’t take long for you both to drift off, after pulling the covers to keep you warm.


	4. A Different Perspective

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the first serious fight, between you and Bobby happens, he panics. You just told him you don't want to spend the prize money on a house, and he can't seem to understand your reasons.  
> It's more than enough to make you storm off, slamming the door behind you.  
> This chapter is told from Bobby's perspective.

(PLAYING AS BOBBY)

“Bobby?” you hear her voice while you rub your eyes, waking up from a long night of sleep.

“Lass…?”

“Good morning, babe.” she says sweetly, close to your ear with a low voice, grazing her thumb on your temple, to wake you.

“She looks stunning.” you think to yourself.

“I brought you some tea.” She offers you the handle of the mug, smiling and kissing your cheek.

“Good morning.” You say, feeling a little hazy. She sits next to you, in bed, caressing your shin while you stir, straightening your back, to lean against the headboard.

“So, I was wondering, it’s been a week since we’re here in Glasgow. And I wanted to take the flight to London, because I need to check my apartment and all. You know, mail, phone calls, plants.” She trails off.

“This tea is awesome.” You think to yourself, while taking another sip.

She continues to speak. “And I need to check with Aimee, if everything is ok.”

“Who is Aimee, again?” your thoughts, loud.

“You know, my friend that lives downtown?”

“Right…that Aimee”.

You finally respond, still blinking the sleep away. “It’s cool. You want me to go with you? I don’t go back until next month. And according to my invisible watch, that will be in… 13 days.” she laughs at your joke, as always, making you talk to yourself. “God, she looks hot in that...”

“So, when do you wanna go?” you ask out loud.

“It could be tomorrow… today…?” she makes that innocent face that you like so much.

“Those puppy eyes will be the end of me, Lass.” You chuckle. “We can go today… no problem. Let’s pack.”

“Already done it.” She raises her hands, stopping you from getting up.

“You didn’t have to.” You continue taking small sips of your steaming mug.

“I know how much you hate packing, Bobby. So, I did it for you. You just need to get dressed, get your favorite carry on stuff, and we’re good to go.” she gets up from the bed. “All we’re missing is breakfast. And since my eggs suck, that will be your job.” She grins, nodding to you.

“Your eggs don’t suck. They’re better than mine.” The thought resonates in your head, but you respond. “On it… oh, by the way, Gary called. He and Henrik asked if we’re going to the Reunion.”

“Already?! I don’t miss them yet… none of them. Besides, we’ll probably be seeing them this weekend anyway.”

“Why do you say that?” you sip on your tea.

“Because Gary lives in Chatham, but he’s always in London on the weekends, and Henrik is currently living there, with a roommate.” she answers, flipping through a couple of outfits in her suitcase.

“Hold up! What?” your mind must be playing tricks on you. “Gary is always there? And Henrik lives in London? I thought he was from Isle of Wight…”

“He is. But he’s currently living in the capital. I thought you knew that. And Gary constantly goes there, to see some of the lads he used to go to school with.”

You try to keep your tone as calm as possible. It’s hard, knowing what you know about Gary, specifically. “Do you think he and Lottie are still together?” you casually drop the conversation starter, fishing, in hopes she says they are.

She shrugs, picking up a tight purple dress, slipping it on. You watch as she smirks at you, showing off her outfit. You think to yourself. “So hot in that dress…”

“Bobby? Hello… Earth to Bobby?”

You’re too distracted to hear. There are dresses, Henrik and Lottie, and Gary goes to London every weekend? “So, do you think you’re gonna see him a lot? You know, living there and all?” Are you being too obvious? Maybe you should tone it down. “You’re not exactly gonna move in with me right away, Lass. It’s gonna take a while, right?”

“Actually, babe. I wanna talk to you about that.” She takes a seat next to you, twining her fingers on her knee.

You feel your heart dropping, and your stomach going cold all the sudden. She’s not moving in. Did she change her mind? She continues to speak, but you’re too distracted to hear most of it.

“I wanna take care of a few things back in London, but mostly, I wanna talk about instead of me moving in with you…”

You lose track of your thoughts or the time. You didn’t even catch half of what she said. She looks at you expectantly, but you stopped listening at “instead of me moving in with you.”

You thought she wanted this. You and her moving in, that was the only plan you made together, and for the most part of the time, the only thing you talked about since you got back from the Villa.

“Bobby? Can we talk about it?” she waves her hands in front of you, snapping you out of your trance. You shake your head and blink repeatedly.

“The… what now?” you feel dizzy, and missed most of what she said. Is this how a stroke feels like?

“Bobby! Are you okay?” she waves her arms again.

“Yes. Yes. I’m here. I’m listening…” you think you are, but you’re not sure.

“I want to talk about this. It’s a great opportunity for both of us.” She continues. Her voice draws your attention, and she grabs her phone, from the nightstand. “I know we wanted to spend the 50k in a house for us to live in, but I had an idea, and I think it could work.”

“Alright… what’s up.” You furrow your brows in confusion, completely forgetting your tea, but trying your best to pay attention. Your brain is a little cluttered and your heart breaks a little.

Not a little, a lot.

She doesn’t wanna buy a house together. And you thought nothing would change, having her on the outside and following through with your plans.

When did it change for her? It’s been a week since you left the show, and everything was in place. Everything was fine, and suddenly, she started talking about not buying the house? You’re lost in thought, just to catch her final words.

“So, what do you think?” she flashes you a big smile, expecting your reaction with a bashful look on her eyes.

“Yeah, sure.”

Your voice drags itself from your mouth, and you can’t believe it. She gave up on the idea of you two living together. Her voice snaps you out of it again. “I thought you’d be excited, babe. This is huge!”

“Is it, Lass? I thought we were gonna move into our house. I thought that’s what you wanted. What we wanted!” you wave your arms around, lost in confusion. “Suddenly you wanna go to London, and what else…?”

You furrow your brows, folding your arms on your chest. Her bright smile curls into a frown. “Bobby, what the hell is wrong with you?!” she gets up, crumpling the piece of paper in her hands, chugging it at you. “I get that you’d probably be scared, but you don’t have to be a dick about it!”

“I’m being a dick? You changed your mind, out of nowhere, giving up on our plans, and I’m the dick?!”

She scowls, grabbing a pair of shoes and her purse, storming off to the living room. Not even a minute later, the door slams behind her. You stare at the doorway of your bedroom, for a few moments, feeling enraged, burying your face in your hands, without understanding a single thing that just happened.

“It’s not like it’s more important than us! I mean, this is us we’re talking about.”

You yell at the walls, by yourself, fighting the urge to go after her, but you know nothing you can say is gonna change her mind. She’s stubborn. And you have to admit, you also are, because she can explain her reasoning for hours, it still won’t make sense in your head.

You walk towards the door, resting your palm on it. The crumpled piece of paper lies where it landed, and you see a small edge of unfolded paper, your last name on bold letters. “The McKenzie”.

You pick it up, smoothing the wrinkles, trying to get it back to its old form. The more you smooth it out, the more a print of a building reveals itself. A project that has two floors, the first one being a large space, with tables and chairs, a bar, and a small entrance door.

You flip it, confused, reading the names in the back. “Architect, architect, Priya… Prya?! Like Cardi B battles Priya? Villa Priya? Operation Nope Priya? Ok, you only know one Priya, dumbass. Shut up!” you say to yourself, grazing your palm on the back of the paper, reading your name, and hers, on the bottom of the page. There’s an address following the project, located in Central London.

You facepalm so hard, you leave a red palmprint on your face. “Oh, no… this is…” you keep shaking your head, sitting on the floor. A lot of technical details all over the back of the page.

You look around, in desperation, and spot an open drawer. Snooping through it, you find a folder. It’s thick, with several colorful tags on the sides, divided by categories, a few you can recognize. “Jamaican” “English” “Desserts” and many more. The more you flip the pages, the more information you absorb, letting your mind even more cluttered than before.

Topics like space planning, value of property, some are financial plans, others are simple things that you do understand, like budgets for equipment, such as industrial stoves, fridges, workstations.

A special portion, by the end, are mostly photos of your cake designs, your creations, dishes. All from your Instagram, that you keep posting whenever you finish a dish. “Oh my god.” You try to wrap your head around the whole folder and its content. “She wants to open a business?”

Your eyes go wide, dropping the folder on the bed and reaching your phone, immediately calling her. No response. Straight to voicemail. You leave a message, trying to keep your voice calm, but your nerves get the best of you.

It’s only been a few minutes, but you’re already worried. She doesn’t know her way around the town, and it’s not like you had the time to show her. You think about going after her. “What if I leave the apartment, and she comes back? Then she’s gonna think that I stormed out, too.”

Rubbing your forehead, you pace the bedroom. You need to at least put some clothes on, in case you need to go after her. “She wants to use the whole money to open a restaurant? Why?” you keep asking yourself.

More than anything, you’re confused. You always wanted to have a business of your own, but you still don’t know much about it. You try to calm yourself, pulling one leg of your pants, at a time. It doesn’t work.

Shirtless, and with your fly open, you head to the kitchen, grabbing a glass of water, to try and soothe your nerves. You’re more worried about her, wandering around and something happening, than the actual fight.

You were an idiot and lost complete track of what it was going on, racing to conclusions, without even knowing what the conversation was really about.

The water goes down, but it doesn’t help. Folder in hand, still in disbelief, you keep reading all the observations, phone numbers, projects for the floors. The more you inform yourself, the dumber you feel.

It’s impossible to settle down in one place, but you try your best, sitting on the couch and placing the folder on the coffee table. Your eyes keep roaming on the pages as you furrow your brows.

It’s gonna be much help if you keep reading it. There’s already a sense of stupidity pouring out of you, and you’re beating yourself enough about it.

You wave the remote, turning the TV on, trying to tune out your thoughts. Nothing is gonna happen to her. She’ll be coming back soon, and you will talk it out. Lying on the couch, you rest your feet on the armrest, stirring under the cupcake blanket. Your head is buzzing too much and it’s impossible to relax.

Your phone hasn’t vibrated, rang or given any sign of life. Just in case, you check the screen, but there are no calls, or messages. Any notifications besides people liking your photos, or “Congratulations” messages. You turn them off.

It’s been a couple of hours since she stormed out, and no sign of her returning. “Two hours? Where is she?” You slap both of your hands on your forehead, multiple times. “You’re such an idiot!”

It’s easy to freak out a little bit, once you’re desperate. And your mind always wanders to the same place.

“She doesn’t even… she might be at the café. Or she could be calling Gary. Or Lucas. Henrik? Or one of the guys that were constantly breathing on her neck. Or girls! She could be calling Marisol right now…” you chuckle sadly to yourself.

Sitting down, feeling your leg twitching with nervous energy, suddenly you feel a couple of tears. Stress tears rolling on your cheeks. You don’t know what to do and it’s way worse than you thought.

Just then, you remember she wanted to fly to London, later today. “Did she take her passport? Is she at the airport?” you keep asking yourself, while going through your nightstand, searching for her documents, and yours.

Bags, drawers, kitchen, living room, console table. Nowhere to be found. Your heart drops, thinking about her, going back home, without you. “I should get an Uber. Maybe I can catch her.”

You zip up your pants, putting on some sneakers, and grabbing the first shirt you see. A “Paisley Cuddle” piece that you keep hanged on the door hook.

Wallet and keys, you head to the living room, but before you get there, you hear her footsteps, coming in. You rush to the door, to see her closing it behind her, tears in her eyes.

She looks at you, visibly hurt, purse on her shoulder.

Her face is redder than usual, and she wipes under her eyes.


	5. The McKenzie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After storming off from Bobby's apartment, because of his reaction, you come back a few hours later, to talk things through.  
> Now that Bobby understands what it's all about, it's easier to discuss the idea, and perhaps go after it, just like you thought.

You turn your back to the door, closing it behind you. Bobby stands with keys and wallet in hands, silently staring back, expecting you to lash out on him. You bat tears from your eyes, noticing the smoothed-out paper on the coffee table.

“What’s the point now, jackass?!” your thoughts are loud as your voice wants to come out, right now.

Without hesitation, he approaches you, dropping his keys and wallet, and picking up the crumpled piece of paper from the table, pacing in front of you.

\- Are you serious, Lass?! Are you actually serious?! he says, in an exasperated tone. “I can’t believe you’d do that. You realize how much this affects both of us, right?!” his eyes are wide, filled with surprise.

“Yeah, stupid! I know!” you yell at him, not being able to control yourself.

“Lass, why would you do this? We were gonna use the money to buy a house. Like you always wanted. With a backyard for our dog.” he stops his unsettling pacing, turning to face you with a tender look in his eyes. “And you’re gonna give that up? For me?”

“I need you to listen to me, Bobby.” you get a grip of your tone, lowering your voice, but before you can continue, he interrupts you, speaking in a firmer voice.

“No… you need to listen to me. You have plans too. You have a brand you wanna expand. You were gonna use your cut of the money for yourself.” he holds your hands, expectantly.

“You know how much you mean to me, Bobby.” You tilt your head up, to stare into his eyes. “And if you don’t, you should, jackass!” your hands wave in the air as you get more emotional. “What was that reaction? What the fuck was that?!”

“I thought you were… I wasn’t… I blacked out.” Bobby trails off, rubbing his temples and gripping his own waist, staring at his shoes. “I don’t know wh…”

“Ok, just… shut up and listen.” You take control of the situation, once and for all. He raises his head, gazing at you. “Bobby, I make good money with my projects. I already have a few job proposals from brands that want me to work with them. Big brands. I don’t need money to expand my business, I need networking…

You pace in front of him, his eyes following your every step.

“What better than a restaurant, which, in the future, will be very trendy? This is an investment. A smart one!” you glance at the page in his hand, crumpling between his fingers as he grips his waist even harder. “The owner of this building owes money to everyone. He’s desperate… and he’s Priya’s client. Meaning: he’s exclusive. Plus, there are no restaurants in Central London with Pastry chef Bobby from Love Island!

You stop in front of him, biting your inner lip with expectation. “This is our chance to make your dream come true, if we act fast. If we act now.”

“This is it… I can’t believe you’re letting this happen…” he looks a little lost, pensive as he stares at the ceiling. You grab both sides of Bobby’s face, tilting his head down, to give him a reassuring look.

“Get a grip of yourself, mate!” his eyes glimpse at you, with shock. “Even if we don’t get our money back right away, we would still make it happen. But we don’t have much time, babe. We gotta make it happen, and it has to be now.”

Bobby stays in place, for a moment, before walking towards the chair on the corner, sitting down. He buries his face in his knees, swaying from one side to the other. You keep staring at him, hearing his weeping, noticing wet spots on the carpet, approaching him, carefully.

He laces his fingers behind his head, rubbing the root of his hair with his palms. His muffled voice is trembly, but you catch every word. “I honestly didn’t think you’d ever do this. I really didn’t.” he sobs, raising his head to show his cheeks, washed with tears.

“Excuse me?” you sit on your knees, in front of him, grazing your palm on his shoulder blades. “You do know you’re not the only one responsible for bringing joy to this relationship, right?”

Bobby inclines his head, holding back tears. Your voice softens, giving him reassurance. “You made a bet on me and I made a bet on you. People tried to separate us, break us up, turn us against each other. We were tested multiple times, by multiple people. And here we are. Bobby…”

He looks up, wiping his finger under his eyes, with a weak smile. Your knuckles wipe the tears on his chin. “I love you… I just wish you knew how much, dummy. I’d do anything to make you happy. Same way I know you would do it for me.”

“This is a big decision, Lass. You can’t just go ar…”

You cut him short, shutting your eyes for a moment. “I can do whatever I want with my money. And in general.” You smirk. “The sooner you understand, the better.”

Bobby chuckles, recomposing himself, rubbing the heel of his hand on his cheeks, catching more tears as they fall. It’s a weird feeling to see Bobby crying. You’ve never seen it before, not like this. From the times he had to say goodbye to his friends, leaving from the Island, those were the only time you’ve seen tears on his face. He always does his best to hide it or diminish it.

Getting up, and getting a firm grip on his wrists, you guide him to the bathroom, turning him to face the mirror, staying right behind him. He exhales sharply, a little trembly, but manages to prop on his hands, looking at you, expectantly.

“Do you see that sexy guy staring at you?” you point to the reflection, gliding both hands on each side of his upper arms. “Well, that’s my man right there! Look at him and tell me that he doesn’t deserve the world!”

He lets more tears stream down, covering his face, muttering under his breath. “Lass, I get that y…”

“Bobby, I’m still talking.” he perches his lips, noticing the serious tone in your voice. “I looked at your finances, and at mine. I studied them for days… while you were creating new cupcakes, or training improving your old recipes, I spent this last week studying everything.” You move to stay by his side, talking directly at him. “With the 50k, we don’t need to touch our personal accounts. We can save money, invest in different sources, and still invest in this, with the prize. Invest in you.”

You stroke your hand on his chest. “This is something we can deal with as partners, babe. Like we wanted. You’ve always wanted this and now we can do it together. All you have to do is say “yes”.”

Bobby turns to you, still breathless from crying, but trying to get a grip of his voice. “I don’t understand where this is coming from.”

He leans in the sink, turning the tap on, cooling his skin down with the running water. He splashes his face a few times, before grabbing the small towel, hanging above the sink.

“Bobby. This is your dream. You’ve been working, nonstop, for 6 years. No vacation, no going out, no spending money on yourself. Trying to make this happen.” Your voice comes out with renovated determination. “This is it. That “when the opportunity knocks” kind of moment.”

“But…”

“Besides… it’s not all about hopes and dreams. I know we can do this. We’ll work hard to make this business work. I know you’re capable and so am I. Your father said “When you know, you know “. I’m putting all my chips on you… can you please do the same?”

He opens his mouth to speak, but no sound comes out. For a brief moment, he’s lost for words. You continue, taking a breath, placing your hands on your waist.

“There are too many perks to not take this chance. You’ve always wanted to put your name on the map. Celebrity Chef Bobby McKenzie. Can you imagine? Your own brand, with your own name? Isn’t your biggest dream to present a Scottish Jamaican infusion dish?”

“Jerk Haggis…” he smiles, looking down at his hands, fiddling with the towel.

“Being a celebrity chef is half the way. You’re already famous because of the show. You need to sip from that fame and create your signature, babe. There’s a rare window of opportunity here and we need to take it!”

“That would make things easier.” – he sobs a little.

“Bobby, a very smart person once said, “Why work harder, if you can work smarter?” Celebrity Chef Bobby McKenzie? It has a great ring to it… and it’s so fresh! With the fifteen-minutes of fame we have right now, it’s not gonna take too long for us to make this happen!”

Bobby breathes a little easier, splashing his face again. He tries to compose himself the best he can, inhaling and exhaling multiple times, before facing you. A content spreads across his face as he holds your hand, trying the best he can to speak in a calm, collected voice.

Bobby is never lost for words, and today, it’s the second time it happens. During your time in the Villa, or the past week you’ve been on the outside, you’re always talking about plans for your future. Either business, your projects, or his.

For the past few days, it was clear he was inspired, spending most of his time in the kitchen. 90’s hip hop blasting on his phone aside, he was excited to try new fusions, new pairings of ingredients. He was happy to just cook, freely, in his own space.

From time to time, you would walk in, immediately being surprised by a hovering spoon, going towards you. Sometimes a new syrup or a concussion for savory dishes, meats cooked or roasted in different ways, new seasoning.

For all the time you spent in the Villa, all Bobby did was complain he couldn’t stay in the kitchen for hours, for lack of ingredients, or utensils and pans he needed.

The moment he walked in his own workspace with a renovated energy. That’s when you saw it. That gleam in his eye. That spark he feels whenever he can make something new or improve something old.

That look on his face is the reason why you spent the entire week working on your finances, and his. Contacting architects, Priya, the bank. It’s not only financially safe, but it’s about him. His aspiration of having his name on something more than a tag, in the hospital.

It’s not that he doesn’t enjoy working there.

But whenever he talks about his job, it always sounds like an obligation, or a drag. Bobby always wished for this, and if you can make it happen, then nothing it’s gonna stop you. Not even him.

He shakes his head, not being able to believe in your words, rubbing his forehead with both hands. His lips curl into a wide smile as he buries his face in your hair, while wrapping his arms around your waist.

You hug him back with a confused tone in your voice. “Does this mean…?” his head bobs, on your shoulder. His muffled voice comes out, his chest rising and falling, rapidly.

“Yes. Absolutely yes!”

You grip his neck harder, swaying him as you chuckle. He pulls away, still with a hold of arms around you, a tender look in his eyes.

“I love you, Lass… so much.”

“I love you too…”


	6. Just a couple of days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After putting everything together, to open the Mc Kenzie, you and Bobby are exhausted, and in much need of resting, away from the city. You have planned a couple of days with him, in a silent, tranquil spot, just outside of London.  
> Between making him feel guilty for not performing to you, when he had the chance, and spending the afternoon in front of the fireplace, you surprise your boy with a special gift.

The place is perfect. It took you months to put it together, but it’s finally there, right in front your eyes. All the trips to purchase equipment, kitchenware, tables, and all the things he understands about, way better than you do.

Bobby has been interviewing people, in order to hire, going after licenses, and putting everything together, perfectly. He was born for this. Every day, when a small issue appeared, he had nerves of steel and would find clarity to resolve the problem with finesse.

You would never think that Bobby, from all people, would be so centered and serious, trying to make a dream come true so effortlessly. But there he was, showing determination, every single day of this entire process, making everything fall in place, like it was supposed to be.

And every night, after putting out small fires, you and Bobby cultivated a new habit. For every day that you came through, resolving issues, you would earn yourselves a “victory wine”. Both of you deserved that, and more. But for the little time you had, before heading home and waking up at five in the morning, one glass of wine was enough.

So many things along the way could’ve gone south permanently, but you two working together, not only felt right, but it was the joined forces that made that dirty, old building become what it is today. “The McKenzie”.

“Honey, this place is gonna blow up, and I’m here for it.” you raise your glass and clink to his, smirking as you observe your surroundings.

He sighs, taking a seat by one of the tables. “I can’t believe it’s done. We can breathe for a few days until the opening...” he chuckles with relief.

“You know… we could have a getaway... somewhere calm, where we can enjoy ourselves, because let me tell you… once we’re open for business, it will take months to have that chance again.” You take a sip of your wine, humming with delight.

“I know… it’s gonna get hectic!” his wild eyes go from you to the bar, the glass shelves sheltering the liquor, organized by size. “Hey. Can I just say… you and your amazing heart…” he trails off, his gaze falling on you as you approach, letting Bobby take your hands in his. “This… it’s all on you!”

“Nah, babe… it’s on us. We tried our best, and succeeded because we did it together. We brought this place to life.”

“The idea came from you. You put all your chips on me.” he offers his leg for you to sit on, smiling and circling one arm on your waist as you do. “And I’m thankful for having you as my person, every single day.”

“Your person?” you bite your lip, sipping from your glass.

“Hell yeah... you’re my person. The one I turn to when I’m feeling lost…” he licks his lips before continuing. “All I have to do is take a look at you, and I know everything's gonna be fine…” He brushes his lips on your knuckles, resting your palm on his cheek and leaning on it. He tilts his head, looking at the tables spread across the floor. “Look at us. We made it…!”

“I know… it’s unbelievable.”

Your gaze follows Bobby’s, roaming on the skylight above the boulevard, right next to the bar. The moonlight crashing through the glass, bathing the walnut tables and chairs, reflecting on a set of glasses that was just delivered a few minutes ago and now are propped on the counter, waiting to be displayed on the back counter.

You’re lost in thought when Bobby rests his forehead on your chest, sighing with tired energy. “So… you were talking about a getaway?”

“Are you up for it?”

“You don’t even have to ask. I want as much alone time with you as possible, before the hectic times begin… it’s gonna be insane when we’re open for business.”

“Fantastic!” you grin, cupping his chin, tilting his head up, to look at you. “Because I already have a place for us to go to. And a date.”

“Is that so?” he raises his brows, a mischievous smile on his lips as he sips his wine.

“Going back and forth to stores, city hall, and wherever else we went, it’s time for us to take a break… so I planned a little something for us.” You lean in his ear to speak in a low voice. “I’ve been craving you for weeks.”

“Hmm…” he hisses, shutting his eyes. The hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. “I know you’re saying you’re craving me, but you have no idea how I’m feeling…” he exhales heavily from his mouth, making you chuckle. “So, where are we going? Somewhere warm or somewhere cold?”

“Cold.”

“I thought you would want to get a tan.”

“You thought wrong. Listen, I wanna enjoy alone time. The sun? It would be too distracting…”

“Are you trying to lock ourselves in a bedroom, for days?” – his brows raised with a mildly shocked expression.

“Isn’t it amazing?”

“I must say, I’m definitely curious… and really…” his eyes fall on your body as he grips your hips, digging his fingers, speaking through his teeth. “… really needing some time with you.”

“Good! Because we’re leaving tomorrow morning, and we’ll have days together.” You run your fingernails, lightly, from his forearm to his shoulder. “I can’t wait…”

Bobby shudders at your touch. “Lass… I’m exactly one scrape of a nail to have a boner… please, don’t torture me…”

His eyes follow as you tilt your head, laughing at his joke, almost cocking on your sip of wine. “Oh my god… ok, how about this? We call it a night, go home and pack for tomorrow, so we can rest a little before the trip. What do you say?” Adjusting your outfit, you get up from his lap, putting the glass on the table.

“I say it’s about time…” he does a bone-cracking stretch of his arms, following you to the exit. “We can pack really quickly, and head to bed.”

“Definitely. You’re gonna need this rest, Bobby.”

“Me?” he points at his own chest, brows raised with surprise.

“Babe… the things I’ve been planning for these couple of days we’ll have there are…” you hiss, pensive. “Just… rest well…”

“Ok… what are you planning?” Bobby finished his drink, putting the glass next to yours.

“Things that would make that amazing body of yours…” you whisper in his ear, nipping it. “… shiver.”

Bobby shuts his eyes, enjoying your warm breath on his skin, pulling you closer. “Oh… I like the sound of that…” he leans in to kiss you, but you let him hang, pulling away, watching his eyes open with frustration.

“We’ll have plenty of time for kissing… and more, once we’re there. But for now…” you grab your phone from the table, shoving it in your pocket and heading to the door.

He watches you walk away, biting his thumb, admiring your curves in your outfit. “You’re really out to kill me, aren’t you?” he sighs, following you to the door, pulling you closer and whispering. “Just tell me I’m not gonna need many clothes in my bag…”

You turn to face Bobby, leaving a bite close to his throat. “You don’t have to bring anything, if you don’t want to…”

A sharp exhale escapes his mouth as he grabs his heart, watching you press yourself against him. “You do know we’re alone right now, right? We can just go to the office, or behind the bar…” he points to the spots behind him, his voice trembling lightly. You grab his collar, grinning as you open the door to leave, dragging him with you.

~~

Bobby was apprehensive about moving to London, for so many reasons. One of them was his family being so far. The second, his mates and co-workers back in the hospital kitchen, and the third, well… Bobby doesn’t like changes that much.

Plain and simple, he was a little afraid of jumping in the idea of having a new girlfriend and a business, in less than two months. Who wouldn’t be?

But if anything, it was gonna be a good investment, regardless of the results in your relationship. Sometimes you must take a leap and not think about the results. “After studying everything, really carefully, of course.” You said, showing the projections and spreadsheets for the first 12 months of the restaurant activity, once open. You weren’t expecting it to be such a hit, and it’s partially on your friends and family.

Chelsea and Priya made sure to post every time they came in to work with you. Chelsea did get a few jobs because of her work there. The two architects that designed the floor of the restaurant chose her to decorate their new office. Priya got a couple of new clients, from down the street, and the following avenues.

“It’s just good business, right?” she was toasting to your new project together, and to you and Bobby, as a couple. It’s not every day a Love Island couple decides on becoming business partners. Especially not this soon.

But like you told Bobby, and the girls. “If anything happens, we would still be business partners.”

“Yeah, hopefully, we won’t get to see that happening. You guys are so cute together.” Chelsea had a point. You and Bobby had been going strong since you left the Villa, and there was no sign of slowing it down.

Since he moved in with you, and brought his entire apartment, in two trucks, one just for his kitchen, it has been smooth sailing so far. Bobby tests several recipes, making a gigantic mess, and you stay in your office, being the guinea pig for every new dessert or savory dish he wants to try.

For the last couple of weeks, he was negotiating Gabriel’s leave from the hospital. They’ve been working for a long time, together, and Gabriel is the person Bobby trusts the most in a kitchen.

It meant a lot to him, to be able to bring him back to London, to work in McKenzie's kitchen. And the moment you met Gabe, you understood why Bobby praised him so much.

“I’m really looking forward to being here, with you, and Bobster! It’s amazing! This place is fantastic!” he would trail off every five seconds, but still managed to be sweet, despite his high energy. Bobby leaned in, whispering in your ear as Gabriel got distracted with a couple of countertops being delivered.

“Don’t worry… you’ll get used to it…”

“Well… that’s the high energy we’re looking for, right… Chef?” Bobby shuddered when you called him Chef for the first time, making your eyes go wild, just thinking of the possibilities. “You like when I call you Chef?”

He was visibly thrilled, grabbing the back of his neck, trying to disguise the flushing of his cheeks. “Oh hun…” you crossed your arms, grinning. “We’re gonna have some fun in this place.” All of this happening while Gabriel yapped about something that happened in the hospital kitchen. “Just last week!! Can you believe it?!”

Apart from Gabriel’s high energy, the project was on track. It’s true some hiccups happened, but what new business doesn’t have a share of those?

Back at your apartment, you and Bobby have been grabbing the bags to pack up for the next morning. He’s a little lost, going back and forth from the closet, while talking to you.

“What kind of clothes do I need?” he’s holds a couple of jumpers, staring at them, in turns.

“Erm… I would say… one outfit to go, and one to come back.”

“So, two outfits? I thought we were gonna spend a couple of days.” He gazes at you. “Wow… you weren’t kidding about me being naked the whole time, huh?” He smiles shyly, shoving the jumpers in the suitcase.

“Honey, there’s a jacuzzi and a fireplace there. Why would you need jumpers?”

“I’m just being precautious… like… I’m not gonna spend the entire time… you know.” He gestures to himself.

“Says who?” you wink, turning to enter the closet, holding a few hangers. “And I bought a couple of outfits, just for this trip.”

“What kind of outfits?” Bobby is distracted, collecting his toiletries and putting them in one of the bags. He raises his eyes when you don’t give an answer, staring at you.

“Bobby… the surprise kind…”

Realization dawns on him, his eyes rolling with anticipation as he bites his inner lip. “Lass… I…” he trails off, shaking his head. “I’m not gonna be back in one piece, am I?”

Hissing and narrowing your eyes, you speak with doubtful energy. “I’m not planning on letting you… but you can try.” You zip up your last suitcase, dropping it on the floor.

“Oof!” he trembles exaggeratedly, before tucking a couple of outfits and sweatpants in his suitcase, also dropping it on the floor.

“Are you planning on exercising there, babe?” you nod to the grey pants.

“Not more than you are. But I see the way you look at me when I wear them.” He smiles, walking by the closet and shutting the doors.

“Huh… interesting. We’re both planning on driving each other’s nuts. Perfect. Besides, I have something in mind, and this is the perfect opportunity to do it, so…”

“What is it?” he looks at you quizzically, slipping on strudel socks up to his shins.

“It’s a surprise.” He frowns, looking up as you stand, hands on your waist with a smug look on your face. “Besides, it’s not gonna take long for you to see it, anyway.”

You finish up, climbing in the bed, patting the empty spot for Bobby to lie with you. After a few minutes, you both drift off.

~~

The next morning, after picking up the suitcases from the bedroom, you and Bobby move to get keys, wallets, phones and chargers, hurrying up to take the elevator, bags in hand.

As the elevator reaches the garage, you hurry to put the bags in the car. Cold gusts of wind hit your hair, taking strands out of place. It’s a beautiful winter morning, despite the weather. Not that Bobby minds, he used to live in Glasgow, so this is probably autumn to him.

You take your place by the wheel, adjusting the seat for yourself. Bobby already meddles with the radio, trying to find the perfect playlist. The cabin is in Guildford, just 30 miles from London. The roads leading to the outskirts of the town are usually the greenest, filled with farm animals on the railing on the road. Bobby’s face lights up every time he sees a cow or a horse, but since it’s winter, the road will be rather empty. As he gazes, looking for them, Bobby sighs, making the glass fog up with his breath.

“Are you glued to the glass, babe?” you lean forward, watching him look at the road, wistfully.

“There are no cows… I think I saw a horse, but the bloke was riding him inside.” He rests his chin on his fist.

“Inside where?” you furrow your brows, confused.

“Just… you know… inside.” He shrugs, rubbing his face to keep it warm, turning to face you. “You know, my mom’s dad used to have a house in Kenmore. Oof! It’s gorgeous there! We should visit it someday.”

“He used to have it… as in… doesn’t have it anymore?”

“Well… he got too tired of taking care of it by himself. The old man doesn’t like being alone.”

“I see.” You perch your lips. Bobby doesn’t talk much about his family, and when he does, usually it’s not for too long. Noticing his eyes gazing on the side of your window, you point to the side of his rearview mirror, at a cow escaping a German Shepherd.

“Oh, damn! She’s making a run for it!” you chuckle, slowing the car down so Bobby can wipe the foggy glass to see it better.

“Yeah! Go, Mimosa! You can do it!” he cheers up, watching the cow circle the dog and diverting from its path. You laugh at his expression, a little softer.

Usually it takes Bobby a few drinks to either say “I love you” to everyone around, especially you, or to talk about deeper feelings. And when Aileen told you about her mother, it wasn’t exactly pleasant. Bobby loved his grandmother too much to talk about it, without breaking down.

But that stayed in that afternoon you spent with them, a couple of months ago, when you visited his parents back in Glasgow. They were really excited for your plans to open the restaurant, and thankful that their son found someone who would help him make his dream come true.

Lost in thought, you don’t even notice you’re close. The house you’re staying in is close to the back road, isolated in a backyard. All the cabins and properties are divided by an extensive field of woods in any direction you walk.

You pull up in front of the garage gate, gripping the little remote to open it. Bobby’s eyes wander at the landscape, through the sweaty glass of his side. The trees are completely leafless, the branches thin and dark, peaking over the terracotta roof.

The ground is covered in a thin layer of snow and ice. “Babe, please be careful when you get out of the car.” You plead, seeing Bobby’s enthusiasm to hop off.

“Don’t worry, Lass… I won’t fall.”

Roofs covered in snow, the icicles melting slowly, dripping over the porch floor. You take a look around, and there’s nothing to see. No cars or neighbors, animals of any kind, and the best part. “No noise.” You grin, taking a deep breath, absorbing the details of the scenery, outside of the garage.

Walking out, to see the road just ahead, carefully pacing the snow, you lean on the wall. “Bobby…” you turn to see him, popping the trunk to grab the bags, pulling the keys from your pocket and heading to the front door.

“This place…” he whistles under his breath, carrying the bags all at once.

“I know, right? It’s gorgeous…” you notice the number of items in his hand. “Bob… do you think it’s wise?” you point to his arms.

“Oh, come on… I can carry a few baaa…” he slips, losing control of his feet on the slippery ramp to the front door. You rush to give him support, placing both hands on his shoulders so he won’t fall forward.

After taking a breath, he looks at you with a bashful smile. “As I was saying…”

“Sure, babe… please continue talking about your ability of carrying so much and being in control.”

Bobby shrugs with a grin. “You know you love watching me fall.”

“Well, you sure fall a lot for me to grow into liking it.” You chuckle.

“Oh, come on, that’s not true!” he throws his arms, the bags banging on his sides and stomach.

“Platform, Priya’s dress, Mr. Love Island contest.” You start counting on your fingers while unlocking the door.

“Ok, that’s one.”

You cut him short, turning the knob and opening the door. “Hideaway, face first on the mattress.”

“Well… yeah, but…”

“Your place! Kitchen. Slipped on an egg you dropped not even a minute ago.”

“Ok, ok… fine. I fall a lot.” He chuckles under his breath.

“It’s endearing, really…”

You step aside for Bobby to come in, closing the door once he drops the bags by the console table. “Wow!” he takes in the details of the living room.

His gaze follows the semi-circle of a dark couch and two chairs, pointed to a white brick fireplace. A couple of throw pillows and thin blankets are arranged on top of a footstool, right at the end of the large couch.

You head to the kitchen, running your palm on the countertop. A set of three stools lies under the surface of the island, clean except for a couple of jugs containing wooden spoons and spatulas. The fridge and the stove are side by side, close to the sink, where the cabinets hang above. It’s spacious enough for Bobby to cook in and kick you out when you badger him for a spoonful of anything he’s cooking.

There’s a closet right at the entrance, hooks on the door, for the coats. Bobby shrugs his off, placing it on the middle hook, raising his brows. “This place… damn.” He walks towards you, taking yours off and putting it besides his. His eyes go wild when he sees the dining area. A breakfast nook right under the window, cushions on the seats and table set for two. “Where did you find this place?”

“Priya recommended it. She stayed here a couple of months ago and was crazy about it.”

“You mean, she was here?”

“Oh, no! Not this particular one… just in the neighborhood, a few houses down the road.”

“Ok… that’s better.” He laughs, propping on his hands. “Are we gonna see the rest?”

“Sure. Lead the way.”

Nodding to the short hallway, you follow him to open the first door. He turns the knob and a light scent of eucalypt emanates from the room as soon as you walk in. The bedroom is composed of a queen size bed, a dark blue duvet matching the pillowcases, and two nightstands on each side of the headboard.

The window, on the left of the room, is covered by a sheer curtain, letting the sunrise crash through the glass. The fabric is a beautiful filter for the light, letting it spread equally all over the furniture, with a sheen.

Bobby shakes his head, grinning, before plopping on the bed, making as much noise as he can. “Lass… we’re gonna have some fun in this place.”

“I’m counting on it…” you smirk before joining him. Bobby is taken aback, watching you as you cover yourself, shivering with the cold air.

~~

After a few hours of sleep, and tranquility in the surroundings, you stir under the covers, hugging your knees to keep yourself warm. Bobby wakes up, immediately tiptoeing to the bathroom, towel on his shoulder, muttering bathroom items under his breath.

You sit straight, pulling the covers up to your chin, stretching. “Hi.”

“Hey, Lass…” he smiles, circling the bed to give you a kiss on your forehead.

“Shower or tub?” you nod to his towel.

“Shower… if I’m gonna cook lunch, I need to be awake. Join me?” he looks at you expectantly, nodding to the second door on the hallway.

“I’ll let you shower in peace.” You smile, circling the bed, heading to the living room. “I’ll wait for you there.”

“Are you sure? Could be fun…” he scratches the back of his head.

“I’m sure. Go… the sooner you go, the sooner you’re back.” You wink, grazing a finger on his upper arm, leaving him to take the shower, alone. He opens the door, deflated, glancing at you before closing it with a click.

In the living room, the bags are scattered on the couch as you search for a couple of things. Bobby’s singing can be heard, easily, in the room. Something from the 90’s and very upbeat, but you never heard it before.

Either way, he’s always putting on a show, whether a simple, quick shower in the morning, or a long bath, with you, at any given time.

After a few minutes of muffled singing, Bobby climbs out of the shower, wrapping himself in his light turquoise towel, shuddering with the cold wind coming from the entrance door. He hurries to the living room to close it, and just then, he notices it, slowly shutting it.

A bottle of wine and two glasses on the coffee table, and you, sitting on the couch, scrolling through your phone, carelessly dangling a leg over the other.

“Did you leave?” he points to your coat, eyeing your heels.

Without a word, you get up from the couch, letting Bobby admire your curves being hugged by your black trench coat. “Lass…?” his voice is suspicious, as his gaze follows your steps towards him, a grin spreading across his lips. “What are you doing?”

“Something you should’ve done for me a while ago.”

Your fingertips graze his shoulders to his hands, leading him towards the large chair, in front of the fire. He stutters, eyeing your back as you sashay, moving forward. “Wow, you’re spoiling me…”

Bobby takes a seat, under your command. All curtains closed, the lights of the living room are dimmed, except for the golden tone of the blazing on his freckled skin, coming from the hearth.

“Please me” fills the air in the silent room, luring a bashful smile from him as he realizes what is about to happen. “I do owe you a dance, don’t I?”

You nod in response, gliding your hands on your coat, swaying your hips, dropping to sit on his lap. He catches the scent of your perfume, exhaling sharply, but his grin never disappears. You arch your back against his chest, slowly rolling your hips against his.

He mutters under his breath as you catch his hands, sliding his fingertips on the buttons of your outfit, guiding him to unloop, one by one. His voice is low, vibrating slightly on your skin. “Damn…”

Bobby’s heart thumps. You can feel it as you press your back even harder, letting his lips stay close to your neck. His warm breath, on your skin, makes you shiver while shrugging off the coat, letting it fall to the floor.

His lips quiver with excitement, mouthing the lyrics as you dance on his lap, turning to face and straddle him, one leg on each side gripping the sides of his thighs. He smiles, breathing with difficulty, never missing a single move.

You grind, holding on to the backrest of the chair, leaning in to sing the lyrics, in a whispery voice. He shudders when you nip his ear, before standing up, showing off a white buttoned-down blouse.

Leaning in, tossing your hair to the side, you whisper in his mouth. “Buttons.” He immediately starts unfastening them, his mouth close to yours, being lured by your scent.

He opens your shirt, pulling you by your waist, his warm touch on the sides of your body, to admire the lace you’re wearing under your shirt. He’s lost for words, gazing at the delicate, light pink lingerie, tight around the outlines of your body, embracing your skin, perfectly contrasting with it. Bobby shakes his head like someone who tries to break a trance.

You let the shirt scrape your arms before joining the coat, on the floor, coaxing a whistle from under his breath, making you smile mischievously. He grabs your hand, to pull you in again, but his heart rate spikes when you take his finger in your mouth, sucking the length, slowly, never breaking eye contact.

He mutters, a hiss of pleasure mixed with his voice. “Oh my god, Lass…”

Moving to face the other side, you sway, working to zip down your skirt, luring Bobby in, to watch you closer. He moans softly, with a fist on his lips as the skirt loosely descends your legs, joining your clothes on the wooden floor.

He bites his bottom lip, feeling every part of his body go rigid when you grab his wrists, guiding him to feel the warmth of your skin, travelling from your cleavage to your waistline. He feels the lace on his fingers, controlling himself to not act on his urge to pull you to sit on his lap.

Dropping slowly to the floor, you sit on your knees, gripping the back of your head, rolling your body to the rhythm of the song. Your hands travel to your waist, then to the floor, as you crawl in his direction, resting your palms on his knees, slithering your way up, touching his bare skin with your mouth.

He shudders when your tongue roams on his chest, teasing a kiss as you let him hang. Your lips close to his chin, a smirk on yours, a sharp hiss on Bobby’s. You bend over the coffee table, picking up the wine, then turning to offer him a sip.

He takes a gulp while you hold the bottle, his eyes travelling on your outfit, smiling nervously and taking a deep breath. He speaks, biting his lip. “I wanna touch you… so bad…”

“You can touch me.” You smile, scooping your hair to the other side.

His hands run on your sides, going towards your back, pressing your muscles as they move up, to unhook your bra, letting the piece drop to your feet. He holds you in place, looking directly at you, taking his time to tug your bottoms, the lace panties grazing your skin, along with Bobby’s mouth, running on your leg.

He traces his way up, teasing a lick on your inner thighs. His voice is low, almost a whisper. “I need you…”.

His pleading allures a grin from you, moving to sit astride of him, the arch of your foot scraping the edge of the large chair.

Bobby grips your hips, digging his fingers to feel the heat coming from you. His eyes stay on yours as the fire glows behind you.

“I didn’t think it was possible for you to look more beautiful.”

He leaves a lingering bite on your bottom lip, sending shivers through your scalp. You watch the flames flickering, giving his freckled skin a bright golden tone. Your mouths close, the scent of cinnamon emanating from his neck leaves you in a daze. He teases a kiss, making you wait for it, but you wrap your arms around his neck.

“I’m not waiting anymore, babe.”

You catch his lips with yours, a breathy kiss as you lift your legs to remove the towel that was still drying his body during your performance, your lips never leaving each other.

You feel his tongue, slowly massaging yours, his hands hiking your chest, to grip your face, kissing you passionately. You leave a trail of kisses on his jaw, drawing a moan from him. “I love when you do that…”

He takes in the vision of you, on top of him, kissing your collarbone, going down to your chest. You gasp when his tongue touches one side at a time, licking in circular motions.

You let your hands slide from his chest to his waistline, running them on the length of his sensitive skin. He groans, slumping on the chair to give you more space to tease him, with a smile. “You’re so mean…”

You feel it, twitching in your palms as Bobby’s voice goes weak when you rub him faster, then carefully lifting yourself, to let your body sink into his, watching his lips parted as he feels your drenched skin move on his.

You gyrate your hips, slowly embracing his length, cupping his chin to kiss him, hungrily. Your body rides his, your hands on his upper arms, and his, on the sides of your stomach, watching you moan on top of him, his mouth agape.

You roll your hips instinctively, his arms hooking around you, bringing your chest closer to his face. He bites your neck, moving to stay in earshot, grunting as you pick up tempo.

A sore feeling builds up on the bottom of your waistline. You arch your back, getting a grip of Bobby’s thighs, behind you, grinding as your heart thumps. He calls out your name, his thumbs digging the dimples between your legs and torso, the rest of his fingers laid out on the sides as he bashfully moves against you.

Your voice trembles, and in a whisper, you plead. “Move with me…”

He meets you halfway, hissing, tossing his head, suppressing a louder grunt. “You don’t have to be so quiet, babe…”

Bobby smiles, thrusting his hips up, waves of pleasure rippling through your skin, your hairs standing on end. He shuts his eyes, feeling you entirely, crying out your name. You see the muscles of his stomach tense up as he rolls, lifting his hips to go deeper in you.

“Lass… moan for me.” Your voice responds before you even notice, grunting his name, the euphoria growing as you grind faster on his lap, feeling yourself tremble. Bobby’s groans echo in the room, pleading for you to reach your ecstasy, close to your mouth.

You feel a wave pushing through your soaked lap, your legs lose control, and he picks up the pace, making you shiver on his firm skin, tumbling into bliss, your lips parted.

He continues to roll his body, picking you up as you shudder, pinning you on the wall, pressing his body against yours.

Bobby rocks his hips slowly, his teeth on your shoulder, breathing hard. You rank your fingernails on his upper arms, making his brows raise with expectation. He stops, his forehead on your chest, breathlessly speaking. “I need to… stop…”

He takes a deep breath, recomposing himself, before sitting on his knees, on the floor, in front of you. Spreading your legs, Bobby places one of your heels on his knee, giving him more space.

You feel his mouth roaming on your waist, moving downwards as he makes your hands grip his head, to keep him in place. His tongue strokes up and down, before focusing on one single spot, moving with the tip on your drenched skin.

Bobby’s eyes rise, making sure you’re enjoying yourself. You toss your hair, arching your back on the wall, the feeling of his tongue scraping your sensitive spot sends you in a spiral of electricity. He buries his face deeper in you, groaning as he goes.

You start rolling your body on his mouth, gasping with eagerness, the heat of his breath on you. Your knees quiver as Bobby keeps the pace of his work.

A second bliss forces you to clasp his head, guiding him to go harder, as you tremble, melting in his mouth. His tongue still touches you, slower, making the sore feeling calm down. He gets up, licking his lips, to start over, but you push him to lie on the thick rug under your feet, in front of the fireplace.

“You deserve it…” you nod at him, a smirk on your lips and a burning sensation on your stomach, eager to continue. Your legs on each side, you straddle him, hard. Without a single word, you let your body drop onto his, riding him vigorously.

He hoists himself up, but you push him back, both hands on his chest as you pick up tempo, not missing a beat. Feeling your movements, Bobby tosses his head back, grunting, pleading, breathing your name.

He shuts his eyes, taking all in. Your scent, your warmth, your body, your skin wrapped around his, still twitching from your ecstasy. Attempting to stop you, he holds you down, by your waist, against him. You shake your head, smiling, rocking your hips, making him grunt, louder.

His fingers dig your skin, and he cries out, again and again, shuddering under your legs. His chest and stomach convulse, the muscles contracting as he groans your name through his teeth, continuously.

Bobby quivers under you, moaning, holding you in place, stroking inside of you, one last time.

You decrease the rhythm, sliding your hands to his abs, nipping his neck. He opens his eyes, recovering from the momentum, chuckling with fluttering energy, still twitchy.

Propped on his elbows, he shakes his head in disbelief. You close the distance, your lips brushing. “You keep surprising me, Lass…”

“In a good way, I hope.” you pick up the wine bottle, taking it to your mouth, to gulp it.

“Whoa… calm down, girl…”

“I’m thirsty…” you shrug, moving it to his lips, tilting it so he can take his sip.

“You know we have water, right?”

“Wine is closer.”

He laughs, glimpsing at you as the wine drips on his chin, after a little choke. For a moment, you see the flames reflecting on Bobby’s eyes, coaxing a genuine smile from you, and a sigh.

“Are you ok, Lass?”

“Absolutely.” You remove your heels, placing them on top of the pile of clothes, on the floor, his gaze following. The rug is thick, fluffy, and all you need is a couple of pillows that Bobby just took from the couch behind him, placing them side by side, for you and him.

Facing each other, you keep running your nails, smoothly, on his arm. His hand stays on the side of your face. He sighs, closing his eyes, speaking in a calmer voice. “Is everything ok with you?”

“Yeah, you?”

“Yeah…” he smiles. “I love you.”

“I love you too, babe…”

Your heart flutters when he pulls you closer, to lie on his chest. He kisses your temple, before adjusting his head, to fall asleep. You snuggle closer, drifting off as well. The last thing you hear is Bobby, sighing. “Good night, Lass.”


	7. Casa Amor days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Still on your mini vacation, Bobby settles in to tell you the story about everything that happened during Casa Amor days. All the challenges, hookups, bed situations, and the consequences of Operation Nope and Disaster Recoupling, once the girls were gone.

###  [Chapter 7](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23751757/chapters/57348832): Casa Amor days

###  Summary:

Still on your mini vacation, Bobby settles in to tell you the story about everything that happened during Casa Amor days. All the challenges, hookups, bed situations, and the consequences of Operation Nope and Disaster Recoupling, once the girls were gone.

###  Chapter Text

Bobby is slumped on the couch, under the covers, snoring softly as the movie goes on. His idea. However, not even he could predict how atrocious it was, and how quickly he would fall asleep just by being in the same room as that movie.

Your gaze falls on Bobby, lips parted, with just the softest snore you ever heard, curling himself into a ball, resting his head on the armrest.

“Babe…” you nudge him, making him jump.

“What?! What’s up…” he blinks his sleep away, adjusting himself on the seat.

“I’m bored… let’s do something!”

“I thought we were watching a movie.” He points to the TV, the picture paused.

“Now we’re not. Besides, you were snoring already!”

“That’s outrageous!” Bobby sees you fold your arms over your chest. “I was resting…”

“If you say your eyes, I’m gonna revoke your rights of talking for the rest of the afternoon.” A soft chuckle escapes you.

“Why?!”

“Because you’re not a dad yet, Bobby!” you throw your arms, laughing.

“You didn’t let me finish… I was gonna say “resting my…”” his eyes roam ceiling to floor, as if they were looking for an answer. “… erm… lids.”

You roll your eyes with a smile. “Lids. Really? That’s the best you can do. Lids?!”

“Ok, fine, the movie is terrible!” he laughs along, pulling one of the blankets to his chin. “So… what do you wanna do?”

“Well… I got a text from Chelsea, and she told me Lottie and Gary broke up…”

Bobby’s eyes go wide, averting your gaze. “Really? What happened there?”

“What didn’t? Gary was never too into Lottie…”

“They seemed pretty attracted to each other.” He curls his lips with resolution.

“Yeah… but attraction is not everything in a relationship. You have to count on other things. Like what you can find in common, and family matters, your tastes, your future. Your opinions on certain things that might influence your life together…”

“Aham… I see. So… Gary is single. Cool.” His lips perch, his leg shakes.

You chuckle, lowering your brows. “Apparently… yeah. Gary is single. You think I should give him a call?”

“What?!” Bobby turns fast, to face you, staring at your eyes, quizzically.

“What? He’s a mate. I should give him my support.”

“Support… right.”

You lean over, whispering with a soft laugh. “I’m teasing you, babe…”

Bobby’s cheeks flush a soft peachy red, his arms folding even tighter over his chest. “I know that… I’m also… teasing…” he mutters under his breath, shrugging uncomfortably.

“Right. Of course. Because you know how much I love and respect you, and we have a life together, since you moved from Glasgow to live with me, and now we’re opening a business, also together. So, you know you mean a lot to me, and shouldn’t be jealous of anyone, because we met on day one, and have been together ever since… that’s what you mean, right? When you say, “I’m also teasing”?

He taps his nose, embarrassedly chuckling. “E-exactly…”

You smile broadly, draping an arm on his shoulder. “You’re so cute when you’re flustered.”

“But you did get one thing wrong there… we haven’t been together since we met.” He rests his head on the backrest, gazing at you with a googly look. You can see all sorts of shapes on the reflection on his hazel eyes, and the tiny wrinkles that form on the corners, when he smiles.

“What do you mean…? Oh! When I was picked by someone else and The Casa Amor thing.”

“Yep! That’s a few days we weren’t together.”

“Ok, but that’s not a long period of time, right? Like a week.”

“Which in Love Island time is…” he does the math in his head, glancing at you with a smirk. “… approximately two years!”

“Ok, that’s a bit much! I’ll give you… a month.” You head to the kitchen, grabbing soda cans for you and him. Tossing one, you take the covers to your feet and legs. “And I wasn’t with him. He just chose me. Nothing happened.”

“Still…” he pops the can, the satisfying noise making him smile. “You dominated the tossing technique! Nice!” he raises his hand, waiting for you to high-five him.

You take a sip, your brows raised, inquisitively, slapping his raised hand. “You know, you never told me the story of what happened those days.”

“Oh, I told you some stuff.”

“You said you almost got in a fight with him, and then… that was it! I don’t even know the rest. What you guys did, what kind of stuff the boys were up to, how the girls were like…”

“Well, you met Blake and Shannon.”

“And it was unfortunate!”

Bobby takes a sip while looking at you, brows raises, but with amusement.

“Don’t look at me like that, Bobby! She was awful!”

“Oh, right… yeah, just…” he grunts, mockingly. “Awful!!”

“Shut up!” you punch him playfully. After a couple of silent sips, he puts the can on the coffee table, turning to face you.

“You know I thought you were jealous of him, because of Blake, right?”

You sputter your soda, looking for tissues to wipe your chin, laughing at Bobby’s statement. “Wait! You thought I was jealous of him?”

He nods, shrugging.

“No! She was a bitch! Almost as awful as Hope… or Jo.”

“Jo?” he’s taken aback.

“Trust me on this one!” you raise a hand, giving him confirmation. “She was terrible, and I’m really happy I didn’t have to see her on the outside.” Noticing Bobby’s amused grin, you continue. “Just… tell me the stories, ok? I can talk about Jo later.”

“What do you wanna know?” his eyes turn into a mischievous gaze.

“Everything! Challenges, speed dating, who slept with who, who kissed who… everything!”

“Alright. Seems fair that you tell me everything as well…” he looks at you, expectantly.

“We had six guys, I didn’t share my bed at first, and they all left, and I never saw them again.”

“Come on! You can do better than that! I also wanna know about challenges and stuff!” he rolls his finger, brows cocked.

“Fine! But you go first! And I wanna know everything!” you prop your elbows on the backrest, listening carefully.

“Ok… everything started when you girls left for Casa Amor. That morning I woke up to you, saying goodbye. And then I went outside, saw you leaving. It was fine… we didn’t have any idea of what it would be, but when we got the text saying that new girls would arrive, Jakub and Ibrahim perked, like… really fast!” Bobby snaps his fingers. “Just like that… as for the rest of us, we weren’t really into it. Not at first.”

“I saw the video, babe. You were nowhere to be found. What’s up with that?” realization dawns on you. “Oh… there’s gonna be a lot of you sucking on other girls’ toes in that challenge…?”

“I have no idea what you're talking about. Moving on! The girls introduced themselves, sat around us, we talked for a while. There were six: Shannon, Blake, Emily, Siobhan, Erica and Laura.”

He pauses, taking a final gulp of his soda. “Next, we had the speeding date thing. Blake hit it off with him right away… although, he did tell me the whole conversation sounded like she was trying too hard, and he wasn’t really interested.”

“Well, sounds about right. I didn’t even see them together the next day, after he switched.” You shrug.

“Yeah… true…” he says, pensively staring at the ceiling, rolling a strand of his hair. “Anyway. After that, the chats continued, there was an impressive contest to see who could shove more food in their mouths…”

“You and Gary?” you narrow your eyes with a condescending voice.

“Yeah, who else?” Bobby gets up, picking up bags of snacks for you and him, handing you your favorite. “And on the first night, we had to deal with the bed situation, and who was gonna share with who. We figured we should let the girls decide, because to some of us, it didn’t matter anyway…”

“You mean you and Gary?”

“Noah too.”

“Right. Noah didn’t want to share a bed with anyone that wasn’t Hope at that point. Got it.” You raise a thumb, rolling your eyes. “Can we skip, to the good stuff? I heard Hope talking about Noah forever in that place. Just go straight to the fight.”

“Calm down, I’m getting there. So, Emily chose Jakub. Siobhan wanted to share with him, but she had to go with someone else. Me.”

“Wait, wasn’t this Siobhan girl hooking up with Jakub?”

“Well, they did crack on, but I don’t think they hooked up.”

“Wow, ok. Please, continue.” You grab a handful of the crisps, taking a couple to your mouth.

“Blake chose your guy. Erica went with Gary and Laura went with Noah. Shannon and Rahim were pretty close, so she didn’t even need to say it was gonna be him. And after that, Emily and Jakub did some… bits… and the next day, he chose to share with Siobhan, and they cracked on for the rest of the time. So, Emily and I would stay in the same bed.”

“So… this Emily girl… you talked about her, before.”

“Yeah, she’s super funny! Not as funny as me, obviously…”

You stare at him, amused, chewing on your crisps. “You really see yourself as the funniest person in the world, don’t you?”

“It’s a curse, really.”

“Oh, shut up! Just keep telling the story.” You slap his leg, with a laugh.

“Do you want me to shut up or to tell the story…?”

“Wait. What about her… looks wise? How was she? Was she cute?”

Bobby hesitates. “Not as cute as you!”

“Wooow… nice safe… I should get the wooden spoon to slap that ass!”

“I thought it was supposed to be a punishment… you know my kinks, Lass!” he shrugs with pursed lips, smugly smiling.

“Oh shush! Just tell the story!”

He laughs, pinching your cheek. “So that first night, none of us, except for Jakub and Rahim, were really feeling it. Gary and I went to hang out on the daybeds. We were really… I don’t know. I guess we missed you guys. Noah and your ex joined us, while the girls fell asleep. It was the four of us, just talking… and getting a little worried.”

“Worried?” you tilt your head, staring at him, considerately.

“You know… about the guys that were with you there. Especially the guy that you would share a bed with. Did you spoon him like you spoon me?” He keeps looking at you, expectantly, for an answer.

It takes you a long moment of gazing at Bobby, before you notice he’s looking for a reply. “Oh, sorry. I thought that was rhetorical. No. I did not spoon anyone. It was plain and simple, I wasn’t interested… and made that very clear.” You take another handful of the snacks.

“Really? You didn’t…?”

“Oh, wait, you know what… I did. This…” you gesture behind you. “Is Arjun. The dog groomer that I met at Casa Amor. Arjun, meet Bobby, the guy I’m living with, since August, and have been using to cheat on you this entire time. A lot!”

Bobby extends his arm, shaking an imaginary hand. “Is this right? Am I close? Am I invading his space?”

“Oh, shut up!” you laugh, slapping his arm, playfully. “Continue.”

He grins, before moving on. “So, we stayed there, for a while. I was under the impression Gary wasn’t into Lottie or Chelsea. I definitely thought he was into you, and you only…” he clears his throat. “Anyway. Noah started talking about Hope, we wanted to kill ourselves... it was too much!”

“Yeah, same going on with us.”

“How much can you talk about a person that you barely know?” Bobby’s annoyance is visible in his eyes. “It was torture! He wouldn’t shut up about her.”

“You would think they would be considerate with other people. Hope broke up with Noah before going with Jakub and spent the four days talking about him! Who cares?! I was in the wrong couple and had no idea what was gonna happen. All the girls just… went with her drama! It was terrible.”

Bobby nods, knowingly. “They were already a bit much in the Villa. I can only imagine what it was like to hear her… did she and Priya fight?”

“Hey, it’s your turn to tell me the story. Yours is coming later.”

“Right!” he snaps his fingers. “So, after we started talking, your guy was sort of… I don’t know. It looked like he thought of you and him as an item. I thought he was gonna be worried that you would switch out of spite, but instead, he was talking about you like you were his girl.”

“That’s weird.” You shake your head.

“I don’t think it was on purpose, but still. It was pissing me off a bit. We all went to sleep after that, but Gary and I stayed up, even in the bedroom. It was hard to sleep without you.” He scratches the back of his neck, flustered. “Anyway… next day we had that Villa x Villa challenge.”

“I need to know, who did what?” you clap your hands, visibly excited.

“Ok, I’m gonna tell you… but please, don’t judge… a lot went down that day, we were all confused…”

“I already know there’s gonna rain toes in this story… but we did the challenges too, remember? I sucked a person’s toe…”

“You did?!”

“We did win the challenge, didn’t we?” you grin.

“Whose? Whose toe? Tell me it wasn’t a guy’s toe.” Bobby looks deflated even before you answer.

You scratch your shoulder, avoiding his gaze. “Let’s move on, shall we?”

“You sucked on a guy’s toe, didn’t you?”

“You sucked on a girl’s toe, period. I’m not even asking. I just know you did! And I’m not judging!” you point to your own chest, baffled.

“Well… a set of toes is sacred, Lass!”

“See. This is why people make fun of you for this toe kink! And I’m certain you made sure to suck on… how many…?” you narrow your eyes.

“That’s not the point.” He shakes his head. “You sucked on a guy’s toe…”

“Did you suck Gary’s? Or maybe Noah’s? Rahim’s? No! It was a girl’s toe! Maybe multiple… and you loved it… don’t deny.” You raise an inquisitive finger.

“I had to! It was a challenge!” he throws his arms.

“And why do you think I sucked a toe, Bobby? For fun?” you shrug with a chuckle, biting into a crisp, annoyingly. He looks at you, frowning. “Just finish the story…”

He rolls his eyes, shaking his head. “Ok… so the tall guy/short girl one was Emily and Jakub. Underwater kiss was Rahim and Shannon.”

“Wow!” you cut him short, making him stare at you, quizzically. “Sorry, it’s just… Priya bet on Rahim on that one. Sorry. Continue.”

“Erm… right. Sex positions was also them. I gave a girl a lap dance, and I chose Emily…”

“Wait! Are you telling me that for a challenge of Villas, you gave a random stranger a lap dance, but for me, you just put some chapstick on?!”

“It’s not like it was a good lap dance.” he can’t stop himself from laughing.

“A lap dance is a lap dance. And a chapstick is a freaking insult!” you slap his arm again, this time harder.

“You’re not upset, are you? For real?”

“Chapstick, Bobby! But, please, go on. Get to the part you sucked 12 different toes, and then fought the bastard!”

“Ok… but…”

“Just, move on.” You look at him, annoyed, muttering under your breath. “A lap dance… to a complete stranger.”

He rubs his arm, but leans over, to give you a peck on the forehead. “You’re cute when you’re jealous, too...”

You roll your eyes in response but can’t help a smile. “Just… go on.”

“The kiss challenge was your partner and Blake. Piggyback ride was Gary, he did it with Laura… but he dropped her on the way back. She hit the ground pretty hard! It was pretty rough! Then I had to make one of the girls’ blush. I picked Blake. It worked, but it took a while. And finally, the…” he hesitates. “Toes challenge. I ended up sucking Siobhan’s.

“And? Who else got your lips on their toes?” you nod at him with a smug grin.

“Look, Lass… I’m just gonna say this… not as many as you think…” he smirks. “And the cupboard was Siobhan and Jakub. Emily didn’t care because…”

“Wait, wait! Don’t change the subject. You said you were gonna tell me…”

“If it’s gonna make you angry… it’s better not to talk about it.” His voice a little tense, he crosses one leg over.

“Nah. Tell me yours and I’ll tell you mine.” You raise your brows, suggestively.

“Alright. Emily’s, but just for fun!”

“Yeah, that’s kind of the point of kinks, Mc Kenzie.”

“Come on… it wasn’t like that! We just laughed about it.”

You sigh, shaking your head with a chuckle. “I’m sure you did! So… then what?”

“Wait! What about you?”

“What about me?” you laugh it off, finishing your snacks. “I did what the challenge asked, and it was excruciating the entire time. So, I think I deserve a big chunk of the story now, with no interruptions.” You wink at him.

“Right...” he bites his bottom lip, squinting with annoyance. “That night Noah heard Jakub and Siobhan getting it on, he was really mad, because of Hope. They didn’t square off or anything, but he was ignoring Jakub the entire time. Not that Jakub noticed with his head being up his arse all the time!”

“Meaning?”

“He was just… he was spending a lot of his time showing off to the girls. It’s like we weren’t even there.”

“Did you want Jakub to notice you? ‘Cause I always pray he’s not looking in my direction.”

“You know what I mean! He was ignoring all of us. But anyway. After that, Emily and I shared the bed. But the last day…” he pauses, his gaze on his lap. “The last day was the weird part. So, they sent us to the beach, because you and the girls were coming back that afternoon. The boys were kind of worried because of the situation, especially about the couples.”

“Were you worried?” you speak in a casual tone of voice.

“No, of course not. I wasn’t, because we were already a couple before, so I didn’t care. I didn’t think you’d switch. But then Blake, Jakub and Rahim started saying things to him like “she might switch, because you stole her from Bobby, and she would do it out of spite” or “you should guarantee that you stay”. All that shit.”

He shrugs, a little deflated. “He was already sharing the bed with Blake, and I sensed he was feeling insecure. I don’t know what came on to him, but he just kissed her on the beach, and asked if she wanted him to pick her, and she said yes. When I saw that, I lost it!”

Bobby’s eyes go wide as he continues, gesturing frantically as he goes. “I was saying stuff about you trusting him, and how much of a dick he was being for switching to someone else, just like that! And Gary… he joined in!”

“He was fighting you?”

“No! He was taking my side! He also told him off! And I kept going… I guess I really lost it…” Bobby sighs, fiddling with his fingers. “It’s just… we were supposed to be mates! Friends! And not only he stole you, but didn’t say anything about it? He didn’t apologize… didn’t show any remorse about breaking us up!”

He takes a deep breath. “I was really upset. Told him he was being a jerk because he stole you, so three days later he would put you in danger by picking someone else.”

“You said that?” you raise your brows, leaning in.

“I did. And I was immediately sorry about that. But he came on to me! We weren’t exactly resolving anything… we were just fighting. I was ready to go as well… just… I don't know where that came from. Rahim and Gary held me from swinging at him. Noah held him back. It was a mess!”

He rubs his brows, looking at you with a bashful glint on his eyes. “We exchanged a few words, trash talking about each other… I’m not proud of it. I really didn’t think about the consequences at that moment… and after that, we sort of just drifted apart.”

“Wow… I’m kinda surprised any of that happens with you… you’re usually the first one to stop a fight.”

“I was mad at him. It felt like he was entitled to switch and risk you from being dumped…”

“Yeah… that’s kind of the point of the game, Bobby. It’s not cool, but…” you shrug, sighing. “It is what the game is about.”

“Still! We were mates! And he just…” he scratches his chin. “I guess it wouldn’t matter. I told you this before, I’m telling you again. If you walked out, I would’ve walked out after you.”

You smile, sweetly, taking his hands in yours. “And that would’ve been sweet. Fortunately, none of that went down and we ended up winning.”

“Tell me about it. That was a huge surprise, if you ask me.”

“Not to me… I knew we were popular. So many people came and went, were dumped right before us… I knew we were at least second place.” You keep his hands under the blanket, brushing your thumb on his knuckles. “So… when it came to the Stick or Switch…?”

“I said there was a girl I liked.” A hint of shyness makes his eyes gleam. “And I had to be honest with myself. Even though the girl might have forgotten about me…” he chuckles, sadly. “I felt I needed to stay loyal to Marisol, so I’d have a chance with that girl again.”

“Wow… you said that, huh?”

“I was so nervous, it might’ve come out like a blab, but yeah… I said that.” he shrugs, smiling. You stay in silence for a moment, before he speaks again.

“I thought it was weird we all had to save someone, instead of just coupling up with each other.”

“When did the game ever make sense, babe?”

“True that… but… I’m glad we got to recouple again. I was feeling a little anxious when the girls came in, and you saved a bloke…”

“I know.” You say, with a comprehensive tone. “If anything, I thought Elisa was gonna be a threat, when she first came in.”

“Elisa?! Why?” Bobby’s lips curl into a grin, his brows low.

“You were… kind of excited about her… asking about her type, snaking your body l-like a…”

“Snake?”

You roll your eyes, biting your inner lip. “Exactly.”

Bobby laughs heartily, framing his face with his hand and adjusting himself on his seat. “Hey.” He licks his lips, apprehensive. “Were you… mad at me, that I chose to save Hope instead of Priya?”

You take a hand to your chest, blinking slowly with surprise. “Erm… yes.”

“Oh…”

“I mean… I know the vibe in the Villa would’ve been really different if somehow Priya and Hope were saved by you and Gary, but… I would never choose Hope over her. I know she could’ve handled her crush on Noah in a better way… but Hope was…” you give the shoulders, visibly trying to end the subject. “I got your reasoning. Even though you were involved in that mess as well and never got in trouble for it.”

He hesitates, before speaking again, with a calmer voice. “On those Casa Amor days… I saw how hurt Noah was because of Hope. That’s why I decided to save her… he missed her a lot and… well…”

“And what about your share of the responsibility in the situation? I don’t remember anyone giving you shit for it… Priya was on the spot, but you…”

“I came clean, Lass. About everything… I told Noah what happened and got… he gave me a hard time for it, as well. Hope and Lottie might’ve treated me like nothing happened, but it wasn’t like that with Rahim and Noah. They sort of… froze me for a while.”

“Look. She made a move on him, it was sort of sneaky, but you…” you gesture to him, cringing.

“I know... I know that. We had a long conversation, Noah and I.” he rests his back against the couch. “I apologized to him the same day, but he was really disappointed in me, and he made sure I knew.”

You scratch your head, looking at the coffee table. “So, when did you and Noah start talking again?”

“When you girls went away…” He takes a short breath before answering, noticing your wide eyes. “Yeah… he was way more upset with Jakub. And he was never really close to Gary or your ex. Not at that point, at least… Rahim was too busy with Shannon, so I was sort of… there.”

“Don’t say that.”

“It’s true. If he could, he would’ve talked it out with Rahim… but it’s ok. We got to talk things through, and he forgave me.”

“You know. I was confused about you saving Hope, but I wasn’t exactly mad at Gary for saving Chelsea. She became such a close friend… I don’t know how things would’ve been if it wasn’t for her.”

“Yeah, I still miss Priya. And she’s coming to the opening, so there’s that…”

“Aham, changing a little the focus… you were jealous. After I saved him. Why?” you stare at him, curiosity in your eyes as you smile, shyly.

“I mean, I told you before. I try not to be a jealous or possessive person. But that doesn’t mean I don’t feel it. I just do the best I can to not be a dick about it. You know, some girls want their partner to be chill, some like the feisty type… but yeah. I was jealous. A little bit.”

“I see. Well, not that it mattered much. I wasn’t interested in him at all, I just saved him because the other options were… let’s call it “scarce”.

Bobby smiles, genuinely. “Either way, that’s great to hear.” He perks up. “When Hope told me, you wanted me to pick you at that next recoupling, I couldn’t be happier! I think my exact words to the boys were “finally!”.

He grazes his thumb on your temple, his voice, soft. “It feels like a lifetime ago, doesn’t?”

“It does. It’s just a few months later, but yeah. It does feel weirdly a long time ago.

“And hey, if you’re missing them… we have the Reunion in a few weeks.”

“Oh yeah… the Halloween Reunion… in January.” You grin.

“Which it means…?” he looks at you with a mischievous look.

“That we’re gonna see everyone… yay.” Your voice is sarcastic as your expression.

“You don’t miss your friends?” Bobby’s legs tangle with yours, under the covers.

“I miss Chelsea, and Priya, and Gary. Noah, sure. Rahim… and that’s about it. I’d hate to see Jo, Blake, Hope. I just… I’m not really missing any of those.”

“Wow. You don’t wanna see Hope?” he laughs.

“I just know the subject will be her and Noah as usual, and I don’t think the party will have enough alcohol!”

Bobby laughs, draping one arm on your shoulder. “We can get there drunk if you want to…”

You snuggle closer. “See… this is why I love you. You don’t judge me. You just embrace me as I am.”

He pinches the bridge of his nose, shaking his head with a light laugh. “If you can do it for me, I can do it for you. We’re a team.”

You lean in, brushing your lips on his. He speaks close to your ear, hooking his arm on your upper arms. “How about that horrible movie?”

“Definitely change it! It sucks ass…”

He looks at you for a moment, tenderly. A sweet smile grown on the corner of his lip. He brings you closer, kissing your temple. “I love you, you know that?”

“I love you too.”

Bobby grabs the remote, waving it in the air, to change the movie on the list, glancing at you, from the corner of his eyes, shaking his head with a grin. “You didn’t tell me about Casa Amor yet.”

“Oh… you’re in for a treat!” you sit on your knees. “And… you better grab more food, because this Felix guy… oh my days! It’s gonna take forever to tell you all the nonsense things he was up to!”

The rest of the afternoon goes by as you tell Bobby the excruciating story about your days in Casa Amor. All the juicy details, including the challenges, the bed fixes, the boys and the couples that were formed.

“I’m just glad you came back single.” He places a palm on your thigh, over your grey sweatpants.

“I was… relieved you came back with no one on your arms, you know.”

“Did you ever doubt it?” he looks at you, anxiously.

“Well… there was a lot going on those days, Bobby. At some point I think I just… I felt silly by trusting in you so blindly. Some of the girls thought it was possible for you to hook up with someone.”

“Did you think that?”

You lick your lips, sighing. “No. But I would be lying if I said I wasn’t scared. It’s not that I didn’t trust you, it’s just that I… I was afraid.”

Bobby brings you closer. “I’m glad you trusted me. I know I said this before, but I won’t get tired of repeating it.”

You tilt your head up, looking at him and he continues. “Everything felt different without you there. Those days were just… not good. I missed you so much… I just needed to make sure we would have another chance.”

“I see… same here… hard same.”

He frowns on confusion, spreading his arms. “Hard same? I give you a beautiful speech and you hit me with “hard same”?”

You cut him short with a kiss, clasping the sides of his head, before whispering in his mouth. “I love you.”

He shuts his eyes, enjoying your low voice with a smile. “I love you too.”


	8. The Opening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tonight is the opening of the "McKenzie", and Bobby's energy in the morning is nerve-wracking. Between inside out shirts and pants, you try to make him feel calmer, and take control of the situation. But something is seriously out of place with you, since you have been feeling sick all day long. Chelsea steps in to help, and now you and Bobby have a result to check, and a conversation about the future, to have.

Bobby bolts from the bed, tripping as he tries to reach the closet door, picking up the first pair of pants he sees in front of him. You barely see a palm in front of your face, stretching and yawning, observing while he sprints towards the door.

“Babe… what’s wrong?”

He runs back to the bedroom, looking for his shoes. “I overslept! I was supposed to be at the restaurant an hour ago!” He puts his shoes on, shirt backwards and sweatpants.

You get up from the bed, calmly approaching him, hugging his waist as you kiss his back.

“Lass! I can’t do this right now…”

“Babe!”

“What?!” he has a desperate tone in his voice, turning to see you, with a peaceful expression on your face.

“You’re already late… just breath. You’re wearing sweatpants with one of each sneaker…” you point to his chest. “And that’s my shirt.”

He looks down at his own torso, deflated. “Oh… right... I sensed it was a bit tight.”

“Come here.” you take his hand, leading him to the bathroom. “Wash your face and brush your teeth. I’ll get you a “non-clown” look. I know you’re funny, but that’s not what we need today.”

“Thanks… sorry. I wasn’t supposed to wake you up.” he chuckles awkwardly, squeezing toothpaste on his brush.

“It’s cool. This way I can prepare myself for later, calmly.” You grin, heading to the closet, to pick an outfit. After flipping through his shirts and pants, you take your choice to the bathroom, hanging it on the door.

He’s finishing up washing his face and you whip your phone out of your pocket.

“Who are you calling?” he says, putting the shirt backwards again but you rapidly correct him by patting his chest.

“I’m calling Brian. I left a copy of the keys with him, just in case.”

“Brian? Why?”

“Because we partied too much last night. I knew this…” you point to his pants backwards. “… was gonna happen.”

“Oh, jeez!” he puts the pants correctly, propping on his hands on the sink, shutting his eyes.

“Take a deep breath. Everything is gonna be fine... hey, Brian? Yeah. Are you there yet? Perfect. Bobby and I will be right there. Yeah…”

Bobby sits on the stool, arms crossed, examining you.

“Alright, see you in a bit. Bye.”

He keeps smiling. “You’re amazing, you know that?”

“Because I gave him the keys?” you squint, scrolling through your phone.

“You always think in advance. Look at me. I’m a whole mess today.”

“You’re always a mess, babe. That’s fine… I love you just like that.”

“Har, har… very funny… look, I’m just a bit…” he taps his fingers on the sink. “Nervous. There’s gonna be a lot of people there. Some of our friends and family, but… famous people as well.”

“Yeah! To be honest… I’m nervous too. But good nerves, you know?” As you finish your sentence, you feel your stomach turning, a feeling of goosebumps running down your spine. “Oh gosh… get out!”

“Is everything ok?” his eyes go wide, studying you.

“No! Get out!” You push Bobby out of the bathroom, slamming the door behind him and kneeling on the floor, opening the toilet lid.

He knocks on the door, worried. “Lass?! Are you ok?”

“Yeah… I’m fine… it’s just the nerves!” your stomach muscles spasms as you feel sick, trying the best you can to control the noises.

“Lass…?!” he continues knocking with his knuckles, in hopes of hearing an answer. “I’m coming in…”

“If you do… you’re a dead man!” you feel another surge of nausea, leaning over and holding your hair up. “I swear, if you come in, we’re gonna have a problem.”

“I just wanna help…” he sounds apprehensive from the other side of the door.

“Then leave! Go to the kitchen and make me some tea.” A final impulse you’re your dizziness. You get up from the floor, moving to the sink to brush your teeth and mouthwash.

As you open the door to step in the bedroom, Bobby walks in, a small tray with a steaming mug. “Here… are you feeling ok?” he examines your face and rests a hand on your forehead, measuring a possible fever.

“No, I’m fine. Like I said, it’s the nerves…”

“Alright. Do you wanna stay here? At home?”

“No, of course not. I’m not letting you go alone, babe. Don’t worry about me, I’m gonna be ok.” You blow the steam, taking a sip of your beverage.

“Do you wanna take a shower?”

“Yeah. It’s a good idea… and it’s hot today.”

“Alright, I’ll leave you to it.” Bobby picks up the tray, and leads you to the bathroom, closing the door behind him, after leaving you alone. As you look yourself in the mirror, there’s another turn in your stomach, urging you to sit on your knees, feeling the twists in your abdomen, again.

Your head spins in place, a few dark spots before your eyes. You rest the heel of your palm on your temple, trying to make the feeling of dizziness go away. Once more, you flush, mouth washing and brushing your teeth.

Climbing in the shower, you turn the tap to a medium temperature. It’s the last two weeks of Spring, and it’s warmer than usual, outside. You wash your hair, trying as best as you can to relax, taking deep breaths, letting the scent of your bodywash and shampoo calm you.

After a soothing shower, you feel much better. At least enough to pick an outfit and do your hair and makeup, to go with Bobby to the restaurant. The opening is finally happening, and you can’t be sick. Not today.

“What do you think, Bobby?” you spin in place, showing off your outfit.

He turns his head, distractedly. As his gaze falls on you, he’s taken aback. “Wow… you look…” he stutters. “Gorgeous!” his eyes glint, as he gets up to hug you. “Thank you for calming me down. Today it’s already off to a great start.”

You run your palms on his arms, letting them hook his neck. “I mean… after all the problems we had with the licenses and the building…” you start counting in your head, followed by Bobby.

“The water, the electrical company…” he says in an annoyed tone.

“The phone and the logo…”

“Yeah… we had a fair share of issues. But Lass… if it wasn’t for you, I think I’d have gone crazy.”

“Now you’re just reading my thoughts, Bobby.” You smile, tilting your head up to look at him.

He leans in, kissing you softly. “Are you feeling ok, now?” he pulls away, putting a strand of hair behind your ear.

“I’m feeling way better, still anxious, but better.”

“Good… I don’t want you to feel obligated to g…”

“I’m gonna stop you right there. I am obligated to go, even if I’m sick. That’s why we have an office there.”

He chuckles, shaking your head. “No, you don’t. that’s why we have hospitals.”

“Yeah, yeah… like I’m gonna miss the opening of my business over some jitters! Please!” you throw a dismissive hand, heading to the living room, Bobby on tow.

You hop in the car, driving away to the McKenzie’. As you pull up, you see a couple of the employees in the front.

“Good morning guys!” Bobby shakes hands with them, one at a time.

“Hey guys! How are we feeling today?” you close the car door, putting your purse on your shoulder.

“Oh, it’s gonna be awesome. I saw a tag on Instagram, it looks like some famous people are coming.” Brian shakes your hand animatedly, coming out of the social door on the side of the building.

“That’s the plan…” you glance at Bobby. “I hope they make a hell lot of free advertising! Keep an eye on the phone for me? Chelsea is gonna call.”

“Yes, ma’am!” Brian catches the phone from the front desk, shoving it in his front pocket.

You and Bobby head to the office, preparing some final touches for the evening as Brian coordinates every area, downstairs.

Best hiring, after Gabriel. Brian has been the perfect assistant for you and Bobby, always punctual, sometimes early. But definitely a keeper. He helped with most of the issues, brought solutions and stayed with you since the beginning, not once, complaining.

Bobby sits on his chair, checking his phone before heading downstairs, to talk to Gabriel, leaving you to check on your projects, in the office, alone.

~~

At night, everything is set and in place. You already received texts from Chelsea and Priya. “We’re gonna be there soon”

Rahim and Noah are coming alone, as for Chelsea and Priya, they are bringing guests. You’re just glad your friends are gonna be there, to support you, as they always were.

You and Bobby stand in the front desk, with the hostess, guiding her through the final details of the cocktail party, that’s gonna take place all around the floor. Bobby is visibly nervous. Beads of sweat build on his forehead and hair roots.

“Hey… are you alright?” you nudge him, studying his face, intently.

“Yeah, it’s just… it’s really hot in here…” he pulls his shirt, fanning himself.

“I’ll take care of it.” You proceed to go to the office, to regulate the temperature of the floor. As you turn the knob, once more, your stomach turns again. “Oh, gosh, not again!”

Sprinting to the bathroom, feeling dizzier than before, you kneel, lifting the lid, sweat dripping on the sides of your face. “What the fuck is going on?”

After a few minutes, the office door opens. Bobby is calling your name, but you can’t answer, still feeling sick.

“Lass?” he bangs on the door, desperately calling out your name. “Lass?!

You bang on the vanity, trying to respond to him, without being able to stop the urge of your stomach.

He understands your system, quitting the knocking. “Lass? If you’re ok, bang twice.”

Bum, bum.

“Alright. Maybe I should take you to the hospital. This isn’t normal.”

Getting up from the floor, you say, opening the door. “Bobby! I’m honestly ok. It’s just the nerves.”

“But Lass… it’s the third time.”

“I know, I know… look. If I don’t feel any better by tomorrow, then I’ll let you take me!” you gesture to him, moving to the sink.

“Tomorrow? You’ve been feeling like this, all day long.”

“But I do look great…” you grin, toothbrush in your mouth, foam almost dripping on your chest.

He sighs, smiling weakly. “I still think we should go tonight, Lass.”

You rinse your mouth, spitting and drying your lips. “No, tonight is about this. Our business. Networking. And if I feel bad, I’ll lie down here.” you gesture to the couch.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Well, I do. Now, let’s go downstairs and shake some hands, shall we? ‘Cause I’m not gonna miss the opening of our restaurant, Bobby.”

“Stubborn…”

“What was that?”

“Nothing… I didn’t hear anything…” he looks around, pretending to search for something.

You squint at him, as he hugs your waist. “You have to admit. You are stubborn!”

“I know that… that has been established before.” You shrug, chuckling.

“Ok. Promise me! If you feel sick, we’ll go to the hospital.”

“I promise. Now, let’s get going! We don’t wanna be late to our own party.”

~~

Going downstairs, you already see the back of a dark red hair and a platinum blonde, right next to it. “Oh my god!” Priya turns to face you, hugging you and Bobby, squeezing you two in her arms. “You look amazing!” he eyes fall on your outfit and Bobby’s, making you spin on your heels.

“Which one?” Bobby crosses his arms.

“Clearly, I’m talking about your girl, Bobby!”

“Yeah, she’s stealing the spotlight, for sure.” Noah hugs you tightly. “How are you, gorgeous?”

“I’m great… and you? After our talk?”

Noah sighs, but smiles right after. “I’m ok. Really. I’m feeling way better.” He smiles bashfully, stepping aside for Rahim to hug you next.

“Come here!” Rahim wraps his arms around you, swinging you from side to side.

“Rahim!” you hug him back, pulling away after the tight embrace. “So happy to see you!”

Before he can respond, Chelsea throws her arms around you, squealing with high energy, “Oh my gosh!! I’m so happy to see you guys!”

“Ok, Chels, you’re…” you mutter, trying to speak, but she hugs you too tightly. “I’m having trouble breathing…”

“Oh, I’m so sorry!!” she claps her hands together, gesturing to a tall, blonde boy. His dark eyes go from Bobby to you as he shakes his hand, then yours.

“Hi, I’m Andrew.” His tan skin is close in degree with Chelsea’s. His dark brown eyes are mesmerizing, perfectly framed by the blonde curls that fall gracefully on his face. You notice as he talks to you and Chelsea, in turns, a light Portuguese accent to his booming voice.

“This is… him.” She leans in, whispering with a palm covering her lips. “You know… Andrew…”

“Oh, hi! How are you?” you extend your hand to her plus one.

“I’m great! The place looks fantastic! And you guys?” he nods to you and Bobby. “Nervous?”

“Of course, they’re nervous, babe!” Chelsea drapes an arm on your shoulder, bringing you closer to another hug. “I’m sorry, I’m just so happy to see you!”

Priya’s voice interrupts Chelsea’s as she grabs a man by his elbow, bringing him into the circle. “And this…”

A tall and large framed man links arms with her. The dark, slick hair shines as he runs his fingers through it. The five o’clock shadow complements the jawline and his medium skin tone. His smile is bright as his voice is thunderous, once he introduces himself. A strong and pleasant Spanish accent. “Hi, I’m Álvaro.”

“Yeah, this is Alvaro.” Priya grins, her eyes sparking as they roam on his jaw and chin.

“Nice to meet you… Álvaro…” you’re taken aback by his manners as he raises your hand, brushing his lips, softly, on your knuckles. You look at Priya, eyes wide, but can’t help a giggle. She mouths “I know”.

Bobby follows your motion, with a grin, offering his hand to be kissed as well. Álvaro takes it in his, grazing his lips on the base of his fingers. “You have very nice hands, Bobby.” Making your boyfriend blush, uncontrollably, as Álvaro lets go of his hand.

Bobby seems a little enthralled by the gesture, clearing his throat, shooting Priya a knowing look, with pursed lips. “Damn…”

Álvaro and Andrew laugh heartily, following Priya and Chelsea’s lead, once they grab drinks from a passing tray, offering you and Bobby a glass each. “We should make a toast before the crazy starts.” Noah raises his glass, followed by the rest of the group.

“Yes! A toast… to you and Bobby.” Chelsea raises hers, holding it by the stem. “You guys worked really hard, and went through a lot, but finally… finally you can call it by what it is. A success. To you guys!”

Your friends clink the glasses, taking a sip for good luck. Bobby gestures to the stairs behind him. “Well, since everyone from our group is here, please, follow me to the second floor.”

“There’s a second floor?” Noah looks surprised.

“You bet your booky ass there is!” Chelsea nudges you, winking.

She takes your hand, holding you back from the group. You watch Bobby take them upstairs, staying behind with her. “Is everything ok, Chels?”

“Well, you tell me. You don’t look good, hun.” she fluffs the ends of your hair, her eyes running on your face, a little pale.

“Oh, I think I have food poisoning or something… but I’m feeling better, now.” You take another sip of the bubbly.

“Are you sure? Do you want me to go to the drugstore and pick something?”

For a moment, you try to remember names of medicines that you could use, failing miserably. “Actually, I think I’ll go with you.”

“Really? No… you should stay here. Shake hands and all of that.”

“Well… I can explain my symptoms better… not that you wouldn’t!” you raise your hands to tranquilize her, embarrassed.

“ADHD. I know I wouldn’t, babes!” she shrugs with a grin.

“Sorry.” you chuckle. “I’m just feeling a little dizzy, and my stomach feels like a Disney ride. It’s awful!”

“Girl, it’s ok. If you want, I can take you there.”

She takes you to the door, then you notice her outfit. A dark pink pink sequin dress that goes tight and low, to her knees. High black heels and a pair of hoops that goes for miles. “Chelsea! You look great!” you point to her dress, taken aback by the way it hugs her curves.

“Oh thanks!” she squares her shoulders, a hint of pride in her blue eyes.

“I didn’t even notice… wow! What’s happening to me today?”

“Oh, hun, you’re just sick. Come on, I’ll drive. I only had a sip, so we’re good to go now.” The valet brings her keys, and she indicates her car.

“You drove here?”

“Nah, Andrew. He doesn’t drink… isn’t it practical?!” she slaps your arm, playfully, smiling widely.

“Oh… it actually is… and he’s gorgeous!”

“I know, right!? He’s delish!”

You roll your eyes playfully, chuckling. “You make a really cute couple.”

As you both hop in the car, she drives away, following the next exit to get to your destiny. “And he’s sooo adorable!”

“I noticed. So… how’s that going?”

“Ah, it’s so great. He has such patience with me, you know? And he laughs at my unfunny jokes…”

You raise a finger, cutting her short. “I’m gonna stop you right there, Chelsea. You are funny. Go on.”

“Yeah, because I forget things.”

“No! Because you’re funny-funny.”

Chelsea looks at you in confusion. “I’m lost…” she shifts in her seat.

“I mean, you’re funny. Like… your humor is awesome, and it has nothing to do with your ADHD.”

“Oh… oh!” she facepalms, laughing softly. “Aw, that’s sweet of you to say.”

Suddenly you feel your stomach turning again. “Oh, gosh… Chels… pull over!”

“What? Are you ok?” her eyes go wide.

You indicate the curb, right after a green light. “Pull over, now!!”

As the car stops, you get out, quickly, feeling even sicker than before, sprinting towards the sidewalk. As your throat contracts, you cough, hard. Chelsea goes after you, immediately patting your back and holding your hair.

“Oh my gosh, babes!!” she bends over, making sure you’re able to breath.

As you continue to feel sick, she says comforting words, but you can’t hear a thing. The dizziness and the nausea take over and your ears start buzzing due to the pressure you feel in your head. Your heart thumps, making your veins pop on your temples as you feel even worse.

Chelsea grabs a hair tie, pulling yours up and putting the strands in a bun. Next, she opens the passenger side door, opening the glove compartment and picking up a small box of tissues and a bottle of water. “Here, hun.”

She offers them, as she sees you going back up, trying to take deep breaths. “Oh my… I don’t know what’s going on, Chels… I’ve been feeling like this since this morning.”

“Oh, honey! I’m so sorry! Here.” She uncaps the fizzy water bottle, handing it to you. “Drink it, you need to stay hydrated.”

“Ha… just like in the Vila…” you chuckle, weakly, trying to recompose yourself. After a couple of gulps falling into your mouth, without touching the rim with your lips, you mouthwash and spit the water on the curb. “Oh dear… I’m sorry you had to see this.”

“Hey… better out than in, right?” she has a solidary smile on her face, grazing her palm on your upper arm.

As you finish putting yourself together, you both take your seats in the car. You rub your own shoulders, restarting the conversation. “Do you have any mints or something like that?” As you look at her, you see her already looking back at you, with a suspicious look. “What?” you touch your hair. “Did I do something wrong?”

“No… it’s just…” she twists her lips with doubtful energy. “You said you’re feeling like this all day long, right?”

“Yeah…”

She nods, turning the wheel on a left, taking another long avenue. After a long moment of you expecting an answer, she replies. “How’s your cycle, girl?”

“My cycle?” you furrow your brows.

“Yes, hun…” she looks at your stomach, brows raised. “Your cycle.”

“Oh!!” you realize what Chelsea is asking, doing the math, mentally. Counting days in your head and fingers.

“Oh my g…” You are late. 6 days. Normal for a lot of women, but you don’t know how normal it would be for you at this point.

“It’s just… it’s a huge coincidence, right?” – Chelsea’s voice is a little shaken.

“Well…” You pick up your phone, checking the calendar to make sure. “Yes. 6 days indeed.”

Chelsea sees your expression. “Oh, girl… for me it’s not normal, but for you? Does it happen often?”

“Not that often, but yeah… sometimes it’s late, and it’s nothing… you know?”

“Do you think this time, it might be…” she covers her mouth to whisper. “something?”

You respond in the same whispery tone. “Why are we whispering, Chels?

“I don’t know… if it is something, it would be a secret, right?”

“Probably… but there’s no one around.” You gesture to the car, grinning.

She facepalms again. You feel a nervous energy coming from her, as she adjusts herself on the seat. “Well… we’re already going to the drugstore… might as well…”

“Do you think I need one?!” you cut her short, wide eyes.

“Girl, if you’re feeling sick with everything and not just a specific food or beverage, then…”

You rest your hand on your forehead, feeling it a little wet from sweat. Chelsea’s expression softens. “Come on… don’t you think you and Bobby would love to have one?”

“Chels!” you slap her thigh, playfully.

“What!? Come on… that boy was born to be a dad!” she throws her arms, exaggerating her voice.

“Well… if this is true… and I’m actually… you know… I don’t wanna tell Bobby.”

“What?!” she hits the brakes, harshly stopping the car. “What do you mean!?”

“Chels! Watch out!” you point to the front of the car as she pulls over.

“Sorry… you wouldn’t tell him?! You live together, I think he would notice!” her eyes fall on your stomach again, this time, she lowers her brows.

“I’m not… I’m not saying I would have a baby without his knowledge… I’m saying, I’d wait for a calmer moment. Tonight is the opening… he already has a lot to worry about.”

She restarts the car, leaving it on neutral. “Look at me…” she holds your hands. “It’s very noble of you to not want to worry him, but you’re opening a restaurant as much as he is. You would be a pile of pressure if you don’t say anything. It’s a shared responsibility from the beginning, girl. If you have a suspicion, tell him. You don’t have to go through it alone.”

“Right…”

“Besides… I’d be there for you, but my job is to make sure that we get to the drugstore and no one else finds out about this.”

You perch your lips, tilting your head to the side, suggestively. She replies with guilt on her face. “I promise! Pinky-swear!” she raises her pinky, smiling expectantly.

“Alright.” you wink at her. “I trust you won’t tell anyone. Maybe just… Priya… ok?

“Alright…”

“Chels… I mean it!”

“I mean it, too! Now let’s get you a pregnancy test!”

It doesn’t take you much longer to get to the drugstore. The bright lights from the facade, almost burning your eyes and making your dizziness come back, shine through the logo on the front, indicating the parking spots.

Chelsea gets out first, waiting for you right in front of the building. You have some difficulty to get up, but you manage to, after a couple of moments and deep breaths. You shield your eyes from the lights, following Chelsea inside.

“Gosh… I don’t know if I’m pregnant or turning into a vampire.”

Chelsea’s shocked look alarms you, so you respond. “I’m kidding…”

She sighs with relief, but you continue. “I already went through that.”

She slaps your arm, immediately patting it and linking hers with yours. “Sorry… you're not in the condition of getting your arm slapped.”

“I don’t think I’m in that condition… ever.”

She cracks a laugh as you both go down the aisles, looking for pregnancy tests. A store helper comes to your direction, with a basket and a smile. As soon as he approaches you both, you say, in a very serious tone.

“Leave the basket, tell me where I can find something for nausea and leave us alone, please.”

Chelsea’s eyes go wide, and you continue. “I’m sorry, but I’m not in the mood and I’m missing my own restaurant opening, so forgive me for being rude.”

“Right…” the helper furrows his brows, taking a second look at you and Chelsea. “Aren’t you the girls from Love Island?!” he points to you, a smile on the corner of his mouth.

“Yes. Yes, I am. Did you hear what I said?”

“Babes…” Chelsea talks through her teeth with a chuckle. “Be nice.”

“Ok… could you give us a second?” you squint at the boy, turning to whisper a conversation with Chelsea. He walks away but is still looking at the both of you from across the aisle. “Chels… if he knows who I am… he might blab about the pregnancy test… that’s not… ideal.”

“I know.” she puts her index finger on her lips, looking pensive. “Say it’s for me!”

“What?!”

The boy cocks his head, waving at your direction. You wave back, trying to keep your voice down. “You don’t have to do that. We can go somewhere else.”

“Girl… face it… you’re really famous. We all are… you don’t need that on top of all the pressure you’re already feeling. Just… say it’s for me. Andrew is not famous, and he would understand.”

You feel a couple of tears fighting their way to roll on your face. “Chels…”

“Oh, come on… it’s not a big deal… besides… I can just… I don’t know… say I’m not pregnant. Because I’m not!”

“That’s… erm…” you raise your brows. “That would actually work. If you and Andrew don’t mind.”

“Right?! Come on.”

You two wave the boy off, requesting the pregnancy tests from behind the counter, following him to further back in the store. He keeps staring at the both of you, quizzically, the more brands you point for him to pick up.

“What are you looking at?” Chelsea throws him a killer look.

“That’s an absurd number of pregnancy tests. It’s for… how many people, exactly?”

“Erm…” she looks at you, hoping you can give a solid answer.

“Look, I don’t wanna sound rude here, but that’s not of your business. In fact, it’s entering prying territory.”

“Oh… it’s just. We have over seven here…”

“And?” You keep looking at the boy, without breaking eye contact.

“And nothing… just… erm… cash or credit?”

“Credit, hun.” you whip out your credit card, seeing the mix of panic and pride in Chelsea’s eyes.

Once the transition is over, you and her walk back to the car, driving away.

~~ 

Soon as you pull up, Bobby comes running towards you, leaving the front desk, his phone in his hand. “Hey! Lass… are you ok?” – he hugs you tightly as soon as you and Chelsea walk in.

“Sorry…”

“You were right behind us and then I turned around, and you were gone.” he squeezes Chelsea’s shoulder. “Are you both ok?”

“Erm…” Chelsea chokes, but you lead the conversation.

“Bobby, we need to talk. Before anything else…”

“Ok… let’s go to the office.” He nods to the stairs, a worried expression on his face as he keeps staring at you. Before leaving, you glance at Chelsea, only to see an encouraging smile.

“Break a leg… or not… don’t break anything…” she stops herself, giving thumbs up, as you go upstairs.

Bobby closes the office door behind him, taking a seat beside you on the couch. His leg twitches, and he twines his fingers on yours, looking at you with desperate eyes.

“Ok… don’t worry about me, babe. I’m fine.”

“You’ve been saying that all day, but…”

“I know.”0 you shift on your seat to face him. “I have something to tell you... and I don’t know if I should keep quiet or just say it already.”

“Oh, gosh! You’re making me nervous… just say it.”

“Ok.” You take a couple of deep breaths and continue. “I’m late…”

“Late?” Bobby lowers his brows. “As in… “oops, I hit the snooze button and now I’m late” or the “I haven’t been bleeding for a while” late?”

You chuckle, rubbing your temples, feeling your heartbeats going faster. “The second one.”

“Oh… oh!” Bobby looks at you, taken aback for a moment. “Wait… are you saying all of your…” he gestures to your stomach. “Might be related to…” he trails off but his eyes spark for a brief moment, until you interrupt him.

“I don’t know yet.”

“Ok… so… what’s happening?” he spreads his fingers, stroking your leg with a tender touch.

Your voice comes out trembling and nervous as you blab the entire story. “I told Chelsea I was feeling sick again, and she offered to go to the drugstore, but I didn’t want her to misplace my medicine, so I decided to go with her, to prevent that from happening.”

Bobby keeps trying to follow your lips, as you blab the whole happening, his eyes getting lost between your fast lips and eyes.

“But in the middle of the trip there, I started feeling sick again, and I yelled “pull over!!” and then she was like “what?!” and I was like “Chels, pull over!!” and then she pulled over, staring at me, and I felt sick again. It was actually even worse than this morning, and she was patting my back, giving me water and tissues. I was feeling dizzy and awful and then suddenly we were in the car again, back in our seats and she was staring at me, as someone who says “Girl, what the hell is going on?!” and I didn’t know what to say, so I just didn’t say anything, and then she asked me if I was late, and then I did the counting in my head a couple times before doing it with my hands and it turns out...”

Bobby’s brows raise with anticipation. “It turns out… I am… late.”

His eyes go wild, as he takes your hands in his. “Are you serious?”

“Ok…” you look at him in disbelief. “I’m freaking out a little bit. Would you mind joining me for a second?”

“Why?” he smiles, purely.

“Because! I might be pregn… I might be pregnant, Bobby…”

“So… I’m supposed to be sad or angry about it? ‘Cause I’m not…”

You slap his chest. “Boy! Aren’t you a little freaked out?”

“I mean… I’m blown away, yes! But I’m also… not terrified.” he looks down for a second. “Weirdly.” He perches his lips, resting his fist under his chin. “I’m actually… excited to see if you are pregn… you know.”

“Really…?” you tilt your head to the side, staring at him with incredulity.

“Of course!” he rubs both of your shoulders, looking into your eyes. “If I’m gonna have kids… I hope I have them with you…”

You cock your head, feeling a tear rolling on your cheek. “Seriously…?”

“Lass… you know that. I told you once before. I wanna have kids…”

“Yeah, but don’t you think it’s too early?”

“Well… I don’t know… I know kids are a great responsibility, but… too soon or too late? I don’t think it applies. It’s gonna happen when it has to happen.”

“Bobby.” you say in a firm voice, looking pointedly at him through the mist of tears in your eyes. “It's too early. We’ve been together for almost a year, but…?”

“Yeah. I know.”

“There’s so much I wanna do before having kids with you. I wanna travel, I wanna work so the McKenzie is on the map… on the right track. I wanna develop my career and yours. I wanna…” You stop yourself to notice Bobby is smiling widely. “Bobby… are you listening?”

“Yeah… of course.” he notices your furrowed brows. “It’s just… you said, “before having kids with you” and that’s…” he shrugs sweetly. “Well, that’s nice to hear.”

You chuckle, biting your lips. “Right. But my point is… yes. I wanna have kids with you, but I wanna have time for all things. I don’t wanna haste into a business and a child. I wanna have it all. One at a time.”

“I know. I want that too, but if you are…”

You cut him short. “If I am… we’re gonna go in a completely new direction.”

“Yeah.” he nods slowly.

You both look down, for several moments, contemplating the floor, as if that’s the most interesting floor you’ve ever seen, averting each other’s gazes. You don’t have words and neither does Bobby.

At last, he takes your hands in his. “All I’m saying is… if you are… I’m gonna be very happy.”

“Yeah…?” you narrow your eyes with a grin.

“Of course. Look at you. I hope this child will be as beautiful, and smart and snarky as you.”

“Wow… you’re really taking the humor genes to your name, aren’t you?”

“Isn’t it obvious? I told you before. It’s a curse.” he raises your hand to his lips, brushing them on your fingers. You share a soft laugh, breathing aat ease for a moment.

Getting up and taking one of the boxes, he picks one for you. “Go ahead.” he reads the instructions. “We’ll have to wait for three minutes… damn… these are gonna be the longest three minutes of my life.”

“I know what you mean.” you say, heading to the bathroom. After a couple of moments, you walk out, washing your hands, placing the test on a roll of toilet paper and brushing your teeth, again.

“Now… we wait, right?” he shrugs, smiling.

“Yes.” you stroke his knuckles with your thumbs. “And no matter what the result is…”

“We’ll support each other. We’ll take turns on the McKenzie’, ‘cause I know you wouldn’t stay away.”

“You bet your tight ass I wouldn’t!”

“And we could turn your home office into the nursery.” He chuckles, speaking with enthusiasm.

“Oh, the nursery.” you look up, dreamily.

“Yeah… do you want a theme?” – he cups your chin.

“A theme? As in… colors?” you stutter, staring at him.

“No… more like characters or… forms… I don’t know.”

“Ooh… that’s fun. I’d like to have something like that.” Your grin lures one from him as you take a seat.

“I bet Chelsea would love to decorate the room.” He perks up, sitting on the arm rest, letting your head stay on his thigh.

“Right?! And I just know she would paint everything pink.”

“Oh yeah… even if we had ten boys. Which I don’t mind.”

“The ten boys or the pink?”

“Either.” He shrugs, laughing.

“McKenzie, I swear to god!”

“I’m joking… we’re only gonna have four!”

“Boy, you’re signing checks that my body can’t cash.”

He tosses his head back, laughing. “They would look cute in pink. I look good in it.” he leans in, whispering. “And so do you…”

“Bobby! – you slap his arm playfully, violently blushing.”

“What?! it’s true. You do!”

“Anyway! I bet the guys would love being called “uncle” … specially Noah.”

“Oh, you just know he would… Rahim would hate it… but he’d be a great uncle.”

“What about you, Bobby?”

“I wouldn’t like my kid calling me an uncle!”

You roll your eyes, smiling. “I’m serious... do you see yourself being called dad?”

He looks down, smiling to himself. “Yeah…” he beams. “And that’s where I draw the line. I’d rather my kids calling me bro than anything that isn’t dad.”

“You mean dadd…”

“Ah! Stop! That’s ruined for all future parents.”

“Especially because… already a great number of girls on Twitter already call you “daddy”!”

“Yeah… it’s quite… disturbing.” He hisses with disgust.

“Yeah… tell me about it. If a guy called me “mommy” I’d have to smack some sense into his head.”

He shakes his head, grinning, then, your cellphone rings. It’s the alarm clock Bobby set for three minutes.

“Do you want me to check?” you ask, getting up.

“Erm… no. We should do it together. Right?”

“Right… makes sense.”

At the moment, the upbeat music and the guests’ voices from downstairs are cut. You can hear your heartbeat in your ear as you walk, what it feels like miles, to grab the test from the surface of the sink.

You both pick up the little stick from the same end, grabbing it by the tissue involving the test. You take one last look on the back of the box, being absolutely sure that two parallel sticks mean “NO” and a plus sign means “YES”.

For a moment, you feel your heart beating so fast, you lose your breath. Finally, you look. Suddenly, you have the feeling of a punch in your stomach.


	9. The Opening pt. II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The result is here.  
> And that's not the biggest thing about to happen for you and Bobby.  
> After the opening, and facing the test, you noticed Bobby is keeping a secret from you.  
> It's time to find out what it is, after weeks.

Two parallel lines marked on the small space of the test makes you check the instructions again, just to make sure. “So.” you say weakly. “It’s negative.”

“Yeah… negative.” Bobby looks more deflated than never. He tries to smile, but his eyes give his disappointment away.

“Are you ok, babe?” you graze his temples with your knuckles. He holds your hands, trying to give them a reassuring squeeze, leaning his cheek on your palm.

“Yeah… I’m fine.”

“You don’t look fine. I know I shouldn’t have said anything.” you rub your forehead, feeling guilty.

“No, Lass! Seriously… I’m fine. It’s just… I’m fine, really.”

You throw your arms around his neck, bringing him closer for a hug. Without saying anything else, you sigh, sliding your hand on his shoulder blades. His arms circle your waist, as he buries his face on the crook of your neck.

“I’m sorry.” Your voice is low as you stroke his head lightly.

“What are you sorry for, Lass?” he mumbles, still burying his face in your hair.

“I don’t know… you look so sad now. That’s just…”

“Hey.” he cups your chin, smiling weekly. “I’m ok, honestly. It’s a good thing.”

“It is?”

“Yeah. I mean, you were right before. If you were pregnant now, it would probably be too soon. We have the restaurant to take care of… yeah. It doesn’t make sense right now.”

You stare at him, seeing small tears on the corner of his eyes. “Right… you do know… that if I was, I would be happy. You know that, right?”

The tears roll on his cheek as he kisses your forehead. His voice, weak. “I know… of course I know.”

“Are you sure you’re ok?”

“Yeah. About…” he sighs. “70%. 60 if we’re being honest.”

“Come here.” You take a seat on the couch, placing his head on your lap, as he lies the rest of his body on the length of cushions, keeping his hands between his knees.

For a long moment, the office echoes with a deafening silence. Bobby’s breathing, and yours, seem to be the only thing filling the air. You know how you feel about it, but can only imagine the state of numbness Bobby might be in.

You stroke his hair, gliding the back of your hand on his and neck, trying to comfort him as softly as you can. You know this is part of the plan, and he knows it’s too soon. For the entire time you know Bobby, he’s been talking about having kids. Not only about having them, but how he wants to play ball, teach them how to cook, or even things he will be doing, far ahead in the future.

“Forbid their boyfriends or girlfriends from coming home!” he said once, during dinner, waving his fork. “I don’t care if our girl has a girl, or our boys have boys. None of them will date until they’re… hm…” he cups his own chin. “30? Is that a good age?”

Your thoughts go to that night you were discussing family, going down memory lane, as he told you a couple of stories about him and Janis, from when they were younger. That was the first time you had a serious discussion about the future.

And it was the first time, for real, you saw Bobby as a future parent. It’s not that it doesn’t take place in your plans, but a child right now might not be the best, financially. You’re just opening a business and it takes a while to take it off, even if it’s owned by “famous” people.

All businesses take time to get on track, and with the restaurant opening tonight, the timing couldn’t be worse.

You’re not happy about not being pregnant. But you are relieved. Everything it’s always so hasty when it comes to you and Bobby, but you both want to be stable, financially and emotionally. It’s not easy to raise kids, and you both know the responsibility that parenthood carries.

You’re lost in thought, caressing Bobby’s arms when a knock on the door breaks the trance. Chelsea’s voice comes from outside. “Guys…?”

Bobby gets up, opening the door, still looking deflated, but puts on a smile. “Is everything ok, Chels?”

“Erm…” she stops herself from saying anything. “Are you…?”

“Yeah… no, we’re ok. What’s up?” he licks and perches his lips, hand on his waist, trying his best not to show emotion.

“Erm… I just wanted to check on you… it’s been a while you two are up here.”

“We’re ok… just… we’ll be right down.” you say from your spot, nodding.

“Alright… do you need anything? Food, a drink, two drinks… each?” she points to you and Bobby in turns.

“No… but thanks Chels.” Bobby’s voice cracks, but he recomposes himself. As Chelsea nods to you, she goes downstairs, leaving you two alone, in the office.

“Do you wanna stay here for a little longer?” you adjust his colorful shirt, with a worried voice.

“Nah… what’s the point, right? It’s not like…” he trails off, again. “Yeah, no… let’s go downstairs.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes… come on. We have a party to go to.” he holds your waist. “How about you? How are you feeling?”

“Well… not great… but I can handle it. I’m at 75%, I reckon…”

“Are you sure? I know this is probably for the best, but…”

You cut him short, turning to face him. “Bobby, it’s alright. Seriously… I just wanted to make sure…” you exhale sharply from your mouth. “I’ve been feeling sick all day long… I just wanted to make sure it was or wasn’t.”

“Yeah… no, it was a good thing… to buy the tests and everything. That was necessary.”

“And now we know. Look.” You stop mid-pace. “I know you want this… and you understand that is a bit early… so why don’t we just have fun tonight? We can talk about this tomorrow.”

Bobby’s gaze searches yours as he glides the sides of your stomach with his fingers, slowly leaning in, hooking his arms around your waist. He rests his forehead against yours, speaking in a low voice. “I would like that.”

~~

Downstairs, Chelsea takes several sips of her drink, shooting looks from the corner of her eye, impatiently waiting for you to start the conversation, anxiously tapping her foot on the leg of her stool.

“It was a false alarm… apparently.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” she hugs you tightly, almost dropping her glass.

You chuckle, sadly. “Don’t be… like I said to Bobby, it’s too early. Besides, we just opened a restaurant. We have a long way to go before kids…”

“Yeah, like getting married!”

“Chelsea!” you grip the stem of your glass, sipping on your bubbly. The tingling sensation lingers on your tongue a little longer, making you hum.

“What!? it’s true!”

“How old are you? 90? You don’t have to get married to have kids!”

“No, but wouldn’t you like to get married?”

“I mean… that’s not what I’m saying.”

“So, you wanna get married!” she points an accusatory finger to your chest, grinning.

“Yes! Of course, I wanna get married!”

“What… you mean like… right now?” At that very moment, Bobby is right behind you, also sipping on champagne. He checks his watch, hissing. “I don’t think we can get an officiant at this time... maybe tomorrow?”

You’re scared by his voice coming from behind you. “What? No!” you deny vigorously, blushing to a bell pepper shade. “Chelsea was just… I was just… she asked…” you gesture, mumbling, as she stifles a laugh. An amused smile grows on his lips and you throw a dismissive hand. “Ah, never mind.”

“Anyway, I just came to check on you… are you hungry…?”

“Please.” you hold your stomach. “Not even a little bit!”

Chelsea notices the discomfort, and quickly makes up an excuse. “I think I’m gonna follow their lead, over there…” she points to Priya and Álvaro. “and I’m gonna find my boy…”

She hops from the stool, heading to the cocktail party happening across the floor, leaving you and Bobby alone.

“Wow… that was…” Bobby struggles to find a word, snapping his finger once he does. “Subtle.” He leans over the bar, propping on his elbow. “So, what was that talk? About getting married…?”

“It was nothing…” you blush again, this time, avoiding his eyes. “You know, I think Brian needs me!” You walk away, not sharing one last look, immediately standing next to Brian, at the reception, whispering loudly. “Pretend you’re asking me something.”

“Like what?” Brian raises his brows.

“Yeah, keep going.”

“I’m sorry….?”

You turn to him, a little annoyed. “Brian, talk to me about the cocktails… or reservations, the entrees, anything!”

“Right…. Who are you avoiding?” he cocks his head around, seeing Bobby with folded arms, staring at both of you, from the bar. “Ah… the other boss. Right…” he starts a tedious conversation about the appetizers that almost made the cut for the party, tonight.

From time to time, you turn to see Bobby, doing his rounds, shaking hands with a few guests that you’ve never seen in your entire life. Eventually, you hear a laugh or two, coming from distinct groups in the balcony, but mostly, a lot of network happening.

When he’s across the terrace, talking to a small group of people, you make your rounds as well, introducing yourself, making the marketing strategy happen.

~~

A few hours go by, the party winds out and people start leaving. You and Bobby join on the front desk, taking a couple of chairs from the corners, to analyze the reservation book, once the floor is almost empty. “We did it. we’re packed…” Bobby turns the leaves, still in disbelief. “We’re in reservation mode for the next few weeks.”

“It’s awesome! I mean… I was kind of nervous, but it paid off. Look at that.” For a moment, you forget why you avoided him almost the entire night. “And you did a great job! You killed it out there! So many jokes...!” you grin.

“I did?”

“Of course! The mayor is coming for fuck sake! He loved that duck joke!” you raise both hands, laughing as you remember the punchline.

“I guess I did.” he chuckles, embarrassed.

“And you know what? I’m ready to go home!”

“I know what you mean. I’m completely knackered!” he looks at you, putting a strand of your hair behind your ear. “Annie and Brendon are finishing up at the bar. And Gabriel, Drake, Claire and Lexy just finished the kitchen.”

“Fantastic… we just need to close the office up, and we’re ready to go, right?”

“Yeah… almost…”

“What do you mean, almost?”

“You’ll see…” A mischievous smile grows in Bobby’s lips as he walks towards the kitchen, keys in hand.

After a few minutes, you stay in your seat, going through your phone, checking the pictures people posted on social media with the hashtags Chelsea and Priya started. Some were even better than you expected. A lot of good propaganda is happening.

“Bye, boss… see you tomorrow.” Brian is accompanied by Annie, Drake, Claire and Lexy.

“Bye guys, thanks for today!” you wave them as they leave, locking the door behind him and taking your seat. Suddenly you notice Gabriel is not with them. Since he was finishing the kitchen with the others, you decide to check on him, just to make sure there are no disasters to fix. As you approach the door, you hear Bobby’s voice from a distance, echoing faintly on the small hallway leading to the kitchen.

“So, only then, you’ll bring the fish, alright?”

“Ok, so the soup is gonna be cucumber, then the appetizers, then the fish?”

“That’s right. Do you remember everything? Can you get here a little earlier?”

“Of course, boss!”

“Shhh!”

“Right, sorry… so… the dessert? Do you wanna make it?”

“Nah, I trust you. Just, don’t forget the crunch… she loves the crunch!”

“No problem, boss…”

A faded noise of a pen scratching a piece of paper embellishes the conversation.

“Alright. Tomorrow, I’ll be here before her. She’s gonna be at home, so I’ll come and open for you, but then I’m gonna have to leave again, it’s a whole thing. I don’t want her to know…”

“You got it, boss!”

“Alright, my man!” you hear two hands slapping each other, followed by Bobby’s voice. “And stop calling me boss, Gabriel, it’s weird.”

“But you are my boss…”

“Well, it’s weird, alright? We worked too long together… just call me Bobby.”

“Is everything alright?” Your voice startles them, Gabriel jumps in his spot, grabbing his heart right after. As soon as you approach them, Bobby grabs the little notebook, closing its cover and shoving it in one of the drawers, stuttering.

“Ev-everything is great!”

“Yeah, great!” Gabriel laughs, nervously.

“Are you sure?” you point at them, squinting suspiciously. “You two look pale… are you alright?”

“Absolutely, boss! We were just going through tomorrow’s schedule.”

“For what?” you place a hand on your waist.

“You don’t wanna be bored with details, babe…” Bobby goes around the table, placing his hand on it, trying to play cool.

“Right. After all, it’s not like I administrate this place, right?”

Gabriel purses his lips, hissing as he looks at his phone. “Look at the time! I Gotta run! See you two tomorrow, bosses!” he rushes to the door, before you can say anything else. As you turn to question him, Bobby makes a signal with his brows, but you can’t make anything of it.

“So, ready to go, Lass?”

“Erm…” you keep staring at him, with a suspicious look. “Sure… I’m ready.”

“Then let’s go!” he perkily walks towards the doorway. “After you…”

You keep eye contact as you take the lead, walking down the hallway, Bobby on tow. He closes the office, keeping an eye from upstairs, making sure you don’t go back in the kitchen.

Once he joins you at the front, you both close the doors, locking the gate over it.

~~

The next day, a few beams of the sunlight crash through the silky curtains of your bedroom, waking you up from a well-rested night. You feel Bobby’s spot completely empty, rolling to the side, to see a note on the nightstand.

“At McKenzie, be back soon, there’s breakfast in the oven”

“Well, if there’s breakfast.” You shrug, stretching, cracking the bones of your shoulders and back.

He left a stack of pancakes in the oven, and your favorite blend ready to be made, on the counter. The steam escapes the lid of the machine, making you smell the kitchen air, the freshness of your beverage making you smile.

Pancakes are soft, and it doesn’t look like he left so long ago. Which it’s perfect, because you’ve been wondering what Bobby and Gabriel were talking about last night, and why they lied about it to you.

Forkful after forkful, you finish your breakfast, drinking from the steaming mug while thinking about last night.

As you head to the bathroom, getting ready for your day, you realize you need to stay in, to check a few deadlines, on a different project, but something doesn’t feel right.

Your instincts are telling you to go to the McKenzie’, and check on Bobby. After last night, you didn’t have a chance to talk things through. You were both too tired to develop speech that was concise and made sense. And even though he says he’s ok, you’re not quite sure that he means it.

You take your car keys, driving straight to the restaurant, your phone on the passenger seat. It’s already a scorch outside, and you’re sweating in the car, waiting for the light to turn green.

Your mind keeps wandering on everything that happened the day before, and how you dealt with it. Chelsea and Priya couldn’t exactly be helpful. There was nothing they could’ve done to benefit the situation.

Chelsea did the best she could, and even though she left you a couple of messages already, you don’t know how to respond. You don’t feel like it’s your place to talk about Bobby’s feelings, without knowing what they are, exactly.

At this point, the car drives itself. When you realize, you’re in front of the parking spots, ready to get in. Nothing different or suspicious, all tables are clean, and set, for the night. Plates, glasses and silverware in place.

The front desk is organized and spotless. Just then, Bobby’s voice unmistakably comes from the kitchen. There’s an urge to go down the short hallway and investigate. Immediately, the first words you hear in the distance are. “That’s what I’m telling you, Gabe.”

“It works better, but the flavor is not as rich, Bob! Come on!”

“Try the black cocoa powder, then!”

“Oh yeah, to give an Oreo look to it.” Gabriel snaps his tongue. “That’s genius! The flavor is strong, but we’re gonna need more milk.”

You take a deep breath, controlling your grin as you walk in. “More milk to what?”

As your words echo in the silent kitchen, Gabriel and Bobby freeze, staring at you, by the door. “What’s gonna have an Oreo look, Gabriel?”

“Lass… what are you doing here?!” Bobby comes from his station, staring at you, eyes wide. His apron is taken by splutters of cake dough and flour.

“I wanted to help.” You shrug, folding your arms on your chest.

“You… wanted to help?”

“Yeah! Whatever you’re making, I’m sure I can help.” You go to the rack, next to the door, picking up an apron. “So, what can I help you with…?”

Bobby gestures to himself and Gabriel. “No, really… it’s cool. Gabriel and I…”

“Are certainly doing something, and I’m here to help… babe.”

“Right… so… ok, Lass… I need you to trust me on this one.” He approaches you, resting his palm on the lower of your back, leading out of the kitchen. “Go to the office, I’ll be there in five, and we can talk.”

“We can talk. About what?”

He sighs, trying to come up with excuses. “I just… I promise. We’ll talk when I get there. But I’ve got to finish this thing with Gabriel.” He points to the door behind him, frowning with a pleading expression. “Please?”

You sigh, defeated. “Fine. I’ll go to the office, and you’ll be there…?

“In five!” he raises his hand, fingers spread. “Promise. Five minutes.”

You turn on your heel, leaving Bobby to go back to his station, whispering to Gabriel. “It’s impossible to hide anything from her!”

“She got you there, mate!”

You think about teasing both, but it’s better to go to the office and wait. As you open the door, you take a seat on the couch, going through your phone, checking the schedule for the week.

Your gaze falls on the bathroom door, staring at it as you remember last night and how things got so serious in so little time. The pregnancy tests, Bobby’s eyes when he saw it was a negative, the way he just stayed down, on your lap.

For the time you’re together, it has been established that you want kids, but never the “when”. And you’re afraid Bobby might be taking it too hard. It was a tiring evening, and you both took care of everything, with the help of your employees, but still, there was a lingering feeling of something unresolved.

Something that needed to be said or asked, but neither of you were getting there. It was a feeling in your gut. Bobby wanted to say something, for weeks now, but he didn’t pick up the courage.

You felt he was acting weird for a couple of months there, but the stress of the party and the whole business thing has taken your mind off of it. But now that everything is partially resolved, you can’t help but wonder what he wants to talk about.

After a few minutes, you hear footsteps towards the office. Getting up and ready to talk, you’re disappointed when you realize the footsteps belong to Brian.

“Madame… good afternoon.” Brian bows, wrinkling a dark tuxedo, and showing off a slick head of hair.

“Brian…?” you look at him, head to toe. “What’s all this?”

“Follow me.” He offers you an arm, and you link yours with his as he leads you to the terrace, on the side of the building.

He opens the door to reveal Bobby. He’s wearing his colorful outfit he used to wear in the Villa, for the parties. His green shirt with beige and coral leaves, a beige short, and simple greyish blue pair of snickers.

“Did you change?” you gesture to him.

He looks at you, smiling, his fingers laced on his back. There’s a couple of beads of sweat on his forehead, but he can’t stop smiling.

“Are you gonna tell me what’s going on, babe?”

“Thank you, Brian.” he nods to the boy, who nods back, closing the door behind him as he leaves. Just then, Bobby takes your hand, and you realize there’s a table set on the very middle of the floor. He leads you to take a seat.

A few small succulents are spread around a big vase, in the center of the table, your favorite flowers. It lures a smile from you as you lean in to smell them, humming with a grin.

“Please…” He pulls the chair for you to sit, then takes a seat across from you, adjusting the collar of his shirt. “It’s so hot today!”

Only then, you realize it is a beautiful day, despite the temperature. The sky is clear and a light, almost imperceptible warm breeze takes strands of your hair to the gust of wind.

His eyes fall on yours for a little longer, but he tries to control his anxiety.

“Babe, what’s going on? Is this…” you hesitate. “Related to last night?”

“What?” he frowns in confusion. “Oh, no! no, there’s nothing happening here, that has to do with that. I told you. I’m ok with what happened last night.”

“It’s just… we didn’t talk about that. I figured you were a little upset about it.”

“I’m not. I started thinking about us. And about what you said.” Bobby takes a napkin, folding on his fist, playing with the fabric. “I realized it was too soon… it just is. I don’t want a child of mine going through a hard time because we didn’t plan things.”

“Yes, I feel the same way!” you gesture to him.

“And I want you to know, Lass. I really am ok. It was a bummer last night, but I think a lot had to do with the stress we’ve been feeling lately!” he laughs. “I’m constantly dreaming about licenses and city hall errands!”

“Yeah… it’s been hectic.”

“So I really think I’m ok. Like… maybe 95%, you know. It was something we weren’t expecting, and we shouldn’t be sad about it. We should be thankful that we have more time.”

“To make things work?” you ask, tilting your head.

He nods. “exactly. I don’t want my family to be a hasty move. I know I said I wanted to have kids in the next five years, well, now four…” he chuckles. “But I understand the circumstances changed. And if we’re gonna have kids, we better do the right way. We need to be prepared.”

“Agreed. We need to have stability, then we can enjoy our time together… a little bit, before thinking or planning kids.”

Bobby’s eyes roam on your face and a bright smile grows on his lips. “I completely agree.” He takes a deep breath, as if trying to find the perfect words, running his gaze on the linen cloth on the table. “You know… yesterday I went to bed… thinking about everything we went through…”

“Which “everything”?”

“The opening… among those other things. But mostly the opening.” He twines his fingers, propping his elbows on the table. “We had so many problems to finally open. We were supposed to be up and running like five months ago! So many things went wrong along the way.”

He sighs, fiddling with the collar of his shirt. “And like I told you before, I’m thankful… really thankful, to be able to push through everything… and just…” he trails off. “… make one of my dreams come true.”

“Oh. Right. So that’s what kept you up, last night?”

“One of them. Yeah.” He takes your hand, grazing the heel with his thumb. “You see, that’s the thing… I would’ve never had the nerve to go after it… if it was for me and my fear of the new, I’d have stayed in Glasgow, cooking from 4 am to 3 pm… just living that simple life, you know?”

You’re taken aback, but he continues. “No… don’t get me wrong, I’m glad you pushed me to do this…” he gestures to the roof terrace around you. “That you pushed me to make all of this happen. The restaurant was one of my biggest wishes, and thanks to you, I have it. The McKenzie exists and you’re the person I’m most thankful for having.”

“You don’t have to thank me.” You smile, embarrassed.

“Yes, I do… I know I can be playful, make a lot of jokes… but I take this…” he points to the space between you and him. “Very seriously.”

“I know you do.”

“And I appreciate you giving me the opportunity of getting to know you, back then, back in the Villa.”

“Yeah…?”

He smiles softly. “Yeah, it just… feels like it was a lifetime ago. But it has only been one year.”

“One year? Is that correct? That can’t be!”

“One year in a week. One year since we met for the first time.”

“Wow…” you chuckle, furrowing your brows. Suddenly, you can feel the sun warming up your skin, a tingling sensation that makes you smile. Bobby’s eyes stay on yours, even lighter in color than usually.

“And that’s the thing… I thought, when I first got there… I thought there was no way good things were gonna happen to me!”

“What do you mean?” you tilt your head.

“Lass… I don’t wanna sound corny, but the first time I saw you, my heart skipped a beat. No joke.”

Your lips curl into a smile and he continues with a trembling voice. “And the moment we talked for the first time… I thought you were the coolest girl I’ve ever met! I mean, you just went ahead, and kissed me… in front of everyone, on a challenge.”

“Well… I did pick you, didn’t I?”

“You did… and nothing makes me happier than having all those moments with you… ever since we came out of there… I’ve been searching for the words… and it’s impossible. I’m terrible at describing things, and I don’t wanna use any cooking analogies for this!” he laughs, awkwardly. “The thing is… I can’t find the words to describe what you mean to me…. Because I never felt like this before.”

He sighs, going around the table, kneeling next to your leg. “The thing is… I’ve tried over, and over again. And the only possible thing I can do to show you how much I love you, and how much you mean to me… is this.

He rummages through the pockets of his shorts, grabbing a small, mint colored box, raising it above his neck. Your eyes go wide, and you instinctively cover your mouth.

“I could try and say all the things you make me feel, or everything I learned from you, but…” he raises his eyes from the box, to you. “I can only offer you my name.”

Bobby sniffs and you notice he’s been hiding his wet cheeks while raising the delicate box. His finger opens the lid, revealing an engagement ring, catching the gleam of the sun and reflecting on the glass roof of the terrace.

Your eyes well up as he proceeds. “My heart is already yours…” he chuckles, wiping a couple of tears under his eyes. “I just don’t know how long I can go without people calling you my wife… and you do have a beautiful last name…”

You chuckle, tilting your head to the side, your tears now falling on your collarbone and chin as he goes on. “But I do think it needs a certain flare… you know. A “Mc Kenzie” really adds to it!” He takes a deep breath. “If you want my last name, that is… ‘cause maybe you wanna keep yours and that’s ok, because you do have a pretty last name and I couldn’t…”

You cut him short, holding his wrists with a soft smile. “Yes.”

He glances at his sides, smiling. “I didn’t ask you yet… did I?”

“But it’s a “yes”!” you sniff, laughing.

“Lass…” He looks up at you, the sun hitting the curls of his hair, and you do a “zipping up” motion over your lips, making him shake his head, laughing. “Lass… will you… marry me?”

You bite your lips from smiling too widely, covering your mouth with one hand, shaking your head in disbelief.

“So…” he mumbles, expecting a reply, holding the box.

You stretch your arm, giving him your hand. “Yes! Absolutely yes!”

You share a laugh as Bobby slips the ring on your finger, taking your hand to his lips, kissing your fingers, multiple times.

“That tickles!” you giggle, staring at him as he gets up, also kissing your cheeks, chin, forehead, neck, bringing you closer to a hug, leaving a trail of playful kisses all over you. You titter, feeling the brush of lips all over your face and neck as he grips you, swinging you from side to side.

He pulls away, gazing at your eyes, raising your hand on his. “It looks beautiful…” he admires your hand. “It just fits…”

He sits on the chair next to yours, inviting you to sit on his lap, holding you by your waist. You drape an arm on his shoulder, nuzzling in his neck, muttering as you can’t stop smiling. “I love you.”

An automatic grin grows on his lips as he rests his forehead on your chest, speaking against your skin. “I love you, too.”


	10. A night to relax

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a few months from Bobby's proposal, you find yourself looking for a wedding planner. As you and your fianceé discuss the possibilities of taking care of it, yourselves, you're not exactly on board with the amount of effort that would go into it.  
> It simply doesn't make sense to plan a wedding without professional help. Maybe Bobby will understand it, once you put in practical numbers.  
> And he might compensate you for the stress, later.

A few months after Bobby’s proposal, you decided to stay one step ahead, and hire a wedding planner, so you’ll have time to take care of your personal projects, and the restaurant. Of course, Bobby begs to differ, since you managed to build your business together, and still took care of your own matters without dropping the ball.

He thinks it’s a good idea for you to plan and take care of the wedding, yourselves. But he keeps forgetting it was the most stressful period you’ve ever had, by far. The whole time you spent designing, buying, signing papers, hiring people, going after licenses and the whole process of opening almost got you and Bobby crazy.

“But who better than me to bake the cake?” Bobby paces the office, at the McKenzie’, throwing his arms with an unconformed laugh.

“Well… a lot of people, Bobby. A lot of people know how to bake cakes.” He stops abruptly as the words come out of your mouth, staring at you with wide eyes. You grin smugly, crossing your legs as you scroll through your phone, without raising your eyes from the device in your hands. “Now that I have your attention… I’m talking about all the rest.”

You raise your fingers to count all the variables, holding his gaze. “Flowers, color scheme, guest list, licenses, a venue, who’s gonna celebrate it? Is it gonna be an officiant, a priest, a pastor? There’s waiting service, photography, video, hotel, my outfit, your outfit…”

He raises his hand to cut you short, but you go on, shaking your head. “Music, is it gonna be a band or a DJ? The reception, is it gonna be in the same place or a new one? Shoes, family, hotel to get ready. Are we gonna do it here in England or in Scotland? Or both? Or either? Are we making it a big or small wedding? Are we inviting everyone we know, to be opportunist, or are we keeping it discreet?”

He sits on the couch, lacing his fingers under his chin, staring at you. “Fair.” he sighs. “I know the wedding is not only about the cake...”

“I know you know that… besides… we have to deal with the food too. And our restaurant is not gonna be the caterer.”

“Why not?! We’re perfect for it! You love my food! And may I remind you, I was a caterer…?” he tilts his head forward, sarcasm dripping with his speech.

“Well, for starters, we have a restaurant and not a catering business! Besides… you were a hospital caterer. Completely different systems.”

“Catering is just going there and cooking! Or cooking before, then taking the food there… it’s not hard!”

You nod slowly, blinking at him. “Ok… say we go ahead and cater ourselves. What are you using to take the food to the venue, that we didn’t even pick yet?”

“Well…”

“How much is it gonna cost for us to cater to ourselves?”

“You see, it’s…”

“How many people do we have to worry about supervising, on the day of the wedding, because it’ll be our responsibility?”

“Ok, Lass, but…”

“How much could we spend in a service, so we wouldn’t have to worry about all that? Since we’re already expanding our dessert boulevard here at McKenzie, and we don’t exactly have time to worry about wedding plans…”

“But food is my thing!” Bobby folds his arms, pensively. “Like… I always imagined it would be me taking care of those things… food is my life, Lass… I’ve always pictured it was me in control of those things.”

“Babe…” you lean forward, threading your fingers together. “This isn’t about you being able or not, it’s about time. I know you can throw one hell of a party and get every single guest to love the food, but we have so much more to take care of, to just leave everything and plan our wedding. It’s not reasonable.”

“But what if we don’t find a wedding planner we like? What if they make the wrong calls? And ruin our day? That’s possible!”

“What if we take responsibility and ruin everything because we simply are not professionals?” you rest your back on the chair. “We’re not just gonna hire a random person. We’re gonna get references. Our wedding is gonna be just the way we deserve it to be…”

Bobby sighs, deflated. “Ok…”

“And just because we’re hiring someone, it doesn’t mean you’re not gonna be involved in the food process. We’re gonna choose everything, and you can make sure the menu and the quality is what we want… you will get the fun part.”

“Fun part?”

“Yeah... not cooking and still having an opinion about everything!”

He stops himself, doing math in his head, perching his lips, slumping on the couch. “So… back in school… were you in the debate club?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” getting up, you lean in, looking directly in his eyes, touching your finger to his nose. “Boop!” walking away, heading downstairs, you can hear his voice coming from the office.

“I’ll get you back!”

~~

After a long day at the restaurant, you and Bobby go home, but the work for the day isn’t done yet. You and Chelsea are texting back and forth as you search names and references for a possible wedding planner.

“Do you know anyone? Maybe an old friend or from prior business?”

“you know what? I do! Hold on”

“‘cause I’ll tell you something… Bobby wants to do everything himself, and when I least expect, he’s gonna start shedding hair like Gary”

“like Gary? Why Gary?”

“Remember when…” you stop typing. “never mind…”

“hmm…”

“Text me back if you find anything, I’m gonna keep researching”

“Sure thing babes!”

Bobby leans in, behind you, resting his chin on your shoulder with a sigh. “So, does Chelsea know anyone?”

“She’ll text me back… in the meantime, I guess I just have to keep searching…? Just in case.”

“Lass… it’s been hours… let’s go to bed.”

“But tomorrow we’re fully booked and I… need to find at least a couple of names... it’s a lot of stuff to take care of, even before I hire someone.”

“Come here.” He closes the laptop, tossing it on the dresser behind him, taking your hand. You open your mouth to speak, but he shakes his head, smiling. “You’ve been stressing over this for days now, and there’s only one thing I can do right now... since you’re not letting me help you.”

“It’s not that I won’t let you help… it’s that you get distracted very easily…” you look down at your own body, giving him a smirk. Bobby chuckles and you continue. “And what’s the thing you can do to help?” Your voice sounds suspicious, making Bobby grin.

His voice drops to a whisper, close to your lips. “Lie down for me.” He nods to the bed, and you obey, still looking at him with suspicious eyes. “On your stomach, Lass….”

“Oh my god… that quick?”

“Lass!” he laughs, blushing. “Just… lie down. And take off your top.”

“Oh, damn…” you shudder, chuckling as you slip the shirt over your head.

“Lass…”

You can’t help a louder laugh, seeing him in the reflection of the window, right above the bed. His face, incredulous with your words, blushing violently enough, to show on the glass. He sits astride of you, sitting below your lumbar.

His palms glide softly on your back, preparing you for what is about to come. His hands run up and down, then spreading his fingers on your skin, he applies pressure, maintaining the rhythm. Before you open your mouth, he replies.

“Only sounds of pleasure coming from your mouth. I won’t take snarky comments tonight.”

You shut your eyes, smiling and lowering your head on the mattress. His fingertips move in circular motions on your shoulders and slide down, giving you a reason to moan with relief, luring a smirk from him. “That’s what I wanna hear…”

You bite your bottom lip as Bobby’s hands continue to melt away the tension, going up and down, running along your spine. The pressure of his knuckles is impressive. He presses them, hiking your back as he kneads your muscles, sometimes a light moan escaping his mouth.

Bending over, his lips get closer to your neck and leaves a lingering kiss, causing goosebumps on your arms. You reply as his lips leave your skin. “Ooh… I knew it!”

“What?” He stares at you, close to your mouth, as you continue speaking, his minty breath tickling the side of your cheek. A sly grin appears as he continues moving his hands on the bottom of your back.

“Bobby… where – is – your – shame?” you smile, flustered, with the hairs on your neck standing on end.

He hoists himself up, going to his initial position, shrugging, massaging from the midsection of your back to your shoulder blades, looking at you through the window glass.

After a few minutes, he taps you on your arm. You respond with a relaxed and weak tone. “Already?”

“Hey, these hands…” he raises both of them. “are precious. They’re special and need to be taken care of.”

“Oh, I know they are…” Without waiting for a reply, you take one of his hands to your thighs. He slides his fingertips on the back of your leg, mischievously tilting his head to the side, to look at your reaction.

You can see on the reflection, Bobby admiring the outlines of your body, working his other hand to purposely tease you. When his fingertips go upwards, your back muscles twitch as you arch yourself, luring a smirk from him.

He bends over again, his hand running on your hair, whispering in your ear. “What do you want my hands to do now?”

Your shoulder and head meet in a shuddering motion, as you bite your lip, humming with anticipation. “Surprise me, babe…”

He chuckles, softly, standing up and taking your hand for you to do the same. His eyes stare back at you and he smiles widely, his fingers lingering on the waistband of your bottoms, playing with the strings of the grey sweatpants you stole from him, tonight.

He sits on his knees, in front of you, tugging them down, letting the fabric graze your skin. His eyes fall on yours as he smirks, biting his lip. “Hands… or mouth?”

Leaning in, you whisper. “Everything…”

He gets up, his palms lying on the sides of your face, and his lips meeting yours, making a warm sensation grow in your stomach. It’s been over a year you and Bobby are together, but his kisses still make you feel butterflies.

He leaves a trail of kisses along your jawline, reaching your collarbone, licking around, as he mumbles. “You taste amazing…”

You wrap your arms around his neck, and his hands fall on your waist, grabbing you firmly. Pulling him closer, and pressing your waistline against his, still kissing him passionately, you lead him to lie on top of you, on the bed.

Bobby adjusts you, spreading your knees, crawling up, staying between them. The warmth of his skin makes you circle his waist with your legs. He laughs heartily, shaking his head. “Not so fast…”

His body slides down, and as he lies on his stomach, his fingers hook the band of your underwear, slipping it down to the floor, his gaze following yours.

Grinning, Bobby lowers his head on your waist. His tongue teases a long lick, from your knee to your inner thighs, your heart beating faster as shivers run down your body.

You grip his head, lightly, moaning softly as his mouth moves up, roaming on your waist and hiking to your chest. His tongue swirls on your breasts, enticing you to bring his mouth close to yours.

He finds your lips in a fiery, languid kiss, pressing your waistlines together, digging his fingers on the sides of your legs, grunting as they move to the arch of your thigh, then inwards.

The soft touch of his thumb coaxes a groan from you, making him smile through the kiss. Your lips parted hang, as he travels to your knees, leaving a trail of soft bites, moving his tongue to stay with his thumb. You grab his shoulders, raking your fingernails, a surge of electricity coursing on your spine as you feel his tongue on you.

Your sensitive skin twitches as he explores the layers with his mouth. You arch your back, letting go of his upper arms, gripping the bedsheet as your low moans fill the silence of the bedroom.

His palms rest on top of your legs, his shoulders supporting the move of your hips as they start rolling with his mouth, working in synchrony. You shudder as he swipes his tongue all over, observing you tremble, tiny wrinkles on the corners of his eyes as he grins with your spasms of pleasure.

There’s a spark in Bobby’s gaze, whenever he makes you shiver with his touch. He loves making you feel like that, completely out of control when he pleases you, jolting with waves of pleasure.

You feel an urge to have him, and your legs, involuntarily, bring him up. He hisses, feeling the warmth of your drenched skin involving him, as he sinks into your body. Slowly bending over you, to nip your neck, Bobby moans softly in your ear as he loses himself in you, completely.

He moves firmly, his thighs on the back of yours, as he thrusts. His lips stay on your collarbone, a line of fierce kisses. He buries his face in your neck, groaning along with you, repeating your name, breathlessly.

He continues to stroke inside of you, now kneeling on the bed, dragging your legs and kissing your ankles. Your feet rest on his shoulders, his abdomen contracting as he rolls his hips against you, tossing his head to hiss with pleasure.

His voice comes out weak, in a hushed tone. “Move with me, Lass…” He pleads, nonstop, his voice dropping to a faded moan, digging his fingers on your legs. “Please… move with me…”

His lips touch the arch of your foot, adoringly, as he holds it by the sole, picking up tempo with his thrusts. The shivers ripple through your scalp as the crests build up below your stomach. You grip the bed sheet even harder, now, propping yourself on your elbows, watching Bobby’s body writhe with yours, his lips parted as he grunts your name.

Your head hangs back, as you move firmly against him, biting your bottom lip. He rolls his eyes with ecstasy, a sore feeling grows between you and him, urging you to move your hips faster, rocking them together.

Bobby lets go of your legs, bending over you, pleading as you move in unison, crying out each other’s names. He grits his teeth, exhaling sharply, framing your head with his forearms. His freckled thighs shudder against yours, as you grip his head, resting your foreheads together.

His breath on yours, another urgent kiss takes you by storm and his mouth moves on your ear, his moans tickling your skin, as he leaves a lingering bite, making you shudder under Bobby as he moves deep into you, thrusting faster.

You arch your back, your name and his, mixed with grunts, echoing in the air. Your fingernails dig his shoulder blades, making him toss his head with a delighted chuckle. Your legs tremble as you lose control over them. He grips both, holding them against his waist as he rolls his hips, speaking in a breathless tone. “I got you, Lass.”

Sweat drips on his chest and Bobby raises his brows, his lips parted, feeling you glide your nails on his stomach, his muscles bulging with his movements. You hold a palm on his stomach, stopping him from moving, your head hanging back as you writhe against him, to feel your own waves of bliss take you, groaning his name through your teeth.

He pleads for you to stop, moaning softly, unable to hold back. You gyrate your hips, rocking them against his, taken by the heat of your motions, prolonging your own pleasure. You give him a reason to roll his eyes with a delicious jolt of energy, grunting as he tumbles into bliss with you, looking down with adoration, his jaw clenched, trying to control himself.

Your bodies tremble together as your mouths call each other’s names. The waves crash as he melts inside of you, your sensitive skin twitching as you climax with him.

You pull him closer, biting his chin as he strokes again, slowing down his pace, still shutting his eyes, both of you with a lingering feeling of ecstasy, slowly fading as you exhale sharply.

You share a look, laughing breathlessly as he hovers for a minute longer, touching your nose with his, a wide smile as you steal a kiss.

Bobby rolls to the side, pulling his pillow to rest his head, steering you to lie closer, on his chest. His fingertips run on your arm, his eyes roaming on your face, sweetly looking at your lips and cheeks. He chuckles, pecking your forehead, scooping strands of hair to the side, to see you better.

There’s a smile in his voice as he speaks, gradually catching his breath “Hi.”

“Hi”. You respond in the same tone, closing your eyes, feeling the heat of the room weaken. He pulls the covers, holding it by the rim and fanning you both. “We do have a fan…” you chortle, cupping his cheek.

“This is more fun.” He winks, speeding up the fanning motion, to make you giggle. You tangle your legs with his, slapping his thigh, playfully. “Come here!”

“Second round, already?”

“Shut up.” You laugh, leaning in, brushing your lips against his, rolling him to the side, staying directly behind him.

“I don’t know what they told you in science class, but I don’t think I can do much for you in this position…” he snorts at his own joke.

“Bobby…” you shake your head, chortling. “So, you’re saying I can do something for you?” you’re taken aback, staring at him, keenly, but still chuckling.

“I’m not saying you should…” his shoulders tremble from laughter.

“Just…” you sigh. “Good night, Bobby!”

He turns to give you one last kiss, eyeing you with a tender look, before drifting off. You hug his stomach, nuzzling on the back of his head. The last thing you hear, before a soft snore is his affectionate voice. “Good night, Lass.”

\--


	11. A rough conversation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bobby has been stressing over tiny matters, the details he usually wouldn't care for.  
> But this week, he got news, and can't help but feeling anxious about the wedding. More specifically, the guest list.  
> You learn what he and his parents have been hiding for the last few months, and now, you understand his anxiety.

Bobby has been in the office for a solid half an hour, and you’ve been waiting for him to finish, but it seems like his call is eternal. “I’m sure we can work together!” you say to yourself, shrugging, taking the stairs leading to the upper floor. Down the hallway, you can hear Bobby’s voice, exasperated.

“Everything has to go perfect!”

You hear a second voice. Female. Immediately you recognize it as Miranda’s, your wedding planner. “Don’t worry, Bobby, it will... everything's gonna be great.” she explains patiently, more than once, how everything is gonna be fine.

“I know, I know… Miranda… I honestly don’t know how to calm myself… I need to be on top of everything!”

You reach for the knob, cracking a little opening, to eavesdrop. He notices you, immediately clicking the speaker button, taking the phone to his ear. “Hey… I’ll have to call you back.”

Without waiting for him to approach the door, you slam it open. “Bobby!”

“Yes?” He’s taken aback by your posture, slowly retracting his steps, cornering himself behind the desk.

“I swear, if you were talking to Miranda again, I’m gonna confiscate your phone!”

“No… I was calling…” his eyes travel on his surroundings, trying to find a name. His picture with Noah, Rahim and Gary lies on one of the shelves behind you and he points at it with a scoff. “Pff… Noah… I was calling Noah!”

“Noah… really? That’s who you’re going with… Noah.” You have an incredulous look on your face as you advance to grab the phone, but he retracts, keeping it above his head. “Very mature, Bobby!” You slap his stomach with the back of your hand, making him hunch and drop the phone, so you can catch it. “You’re not that taller than me…”

He sighs, defeated. “Alright, alright… I was talking to her…”

“That’s it! That’s enough.” You scroll on his contact list, deleting Miranda’s number.

“What are you doing?!”

“You need to let the poor woman work, alone! She’s a fantastic wedding planner, and if you call her again, I’ll cancel the wedding!”

“But…” he gestures to the phone.

“I swear, if you so much as dial her number from anywhere, we’re getting married in a diner, downtown, letting that lady from the tube sing “It’s raining men”, got it?”

He scoffs, and you immediately reply. “You know what… you don’t wanna try me these days!”

He throws his hands, tilting his head. “I just wanna make sure… that everything is alright!” 

“I know, Bobby! But you’re going insane over this… and if I get another call from her assistant, talking about your behavior, I will confiscate your phone.” You wave the phone around. “Please… let Miranda do the heavy work so we can worry about our own problems?”

He scratches the crease between his thick brows. “Yes… I’m sorry… I just…” he trails off, taking a seat on the chair behind the desk. “I’ve never been this anxious about anything before…”

You sigh, deeply, sitting on the surface of the desk, in front of him. “I know… look, I’m feeling the pressure too. It’s gonna be our wedding and I want everything to be perfect, but… in order to do that, we need to trust her. Let the woman give us what we deserve.”

Bobby rubs his temples, then his forehead, with a weakness to his voice. “I don’t want us to be disappointed.”

You shake your head, rapidly, with confusion. “Wait, what?”

“I don’t want this day to be a disaster…”

“Bobby… there’s no way we’ll be disappointed. The ceremony is gonna go the way it’s supposed to.”

“I’m not talking about the ceremony… not exactly...”

Your eyes search for his, your hands grab his shoulders. “Look at me, Bobby.” He avoids your gaze, staring at his shoes. Completely deflated, with a couple of tears rolling on his cheek, he raises his eyes. “Oh, my g… Bobby… look at me. I’m…”

He cuts you, sniffing. “It’s just… I don’t...” his breath is catching as he recomposes himself. “There’s a lot than can go wrong.”

“What the hell are you talking about?” your eyes go wide as you expect an answer, a wave of anxiety crashing in your stomach. He stares at the window, resting his cheek on his palm, visibly trying to find the right words. You cup his chin, trying to maintain your tone as serene as possible. “Hey… there’s only one chance this wedding could go wrong, and that’s if one of us runs away…” you chuckle. “And I’m not gonna ruin my dress by running from the altar, Bobby! It’s a Jenny Packham!”

He furrows his brows, you continue, clarifying it. “Expensive and exclusive, honey! One of the many perks of being an ex-Islander.”

He chuckles under his breath, a little more at ease, now leaning his jawline on your palm. “I’m not gonna run, either."

“Hey…” you stroke his skin, speaking in a silky voice. “I’m not worried if something goes wrong. It’s a wedding, babe. Something has to go wrong.” He raises his eyes, now gazing at you with a different, still tormented look, hearing you closely. “Thing is… I’m more excited to marry you than I’m afraid of something bad happening, babe.”

His hands graze your knees as you adjust yourself on the edge of the desk, letting him stay on top of your legs, his head on your thigh. You continue your thought, your thumb caressing the back of his head.

“You know… my nan said once to me. “A wedding is just five minutes of the life you’re gonna share with someone”, and I agree with that. At the end of the day, it’s a celebration of our love. But our life together is not condemned if the champagne wasn’t cold enough, or the chicken was unsalted, or if we lost footage of me walking down the aisle.” your hands grip his jawline, your eyes on his as you smile. “There’s nothing I want more than saying “yes” to you.”

He smiles through a couple of tears. “There’s nothing I want more than saying yes to you” … that’s a good one… really strong!” he closes his fists, his arms flexing along and lips curling into a coy smile.

“Isn’t it?”

His smile widens, a little more relieved. “I’m sorry… I just can’t stop freaking out… it’s a lot to take in… a lot to think about!”

It’s true that the pressure of a perfect wedding always breaks the bride and groom, but knowing the kind of wedding planner you hired, there are many examples of why she was the perfect woman for the job. As a memory pops in your head, you smile, using it to tranquilize your fiancée. “Hey… have you seen Miranda taking care of things?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well… Bobby… she made the caterer cry the other day, while scheduling the sampling.”

“No way!” he perks up, grabbing the sides of your legs, his eyes bright. “For real?”

“Yes! I’ll tell you what… she’s small, but just as scary. She yelled at him so much, he actually cried. I was baffled, and I gotta say… we made the right call with her. Chelsea wasn’t joking about this one.” You tilt your head with a tender look in your eyes. “She’s doing everything she can so we don’t need to worry about anything.” He, unexpectedly, hugs your waist, resting his head on your thighs. You lean over his ear, speaking in a low voice. “Hey… it’s ok. It’s alright…”

He takes a deep breath, letting you go, now smiling and wiping under his eyes. “I’m a mess these days… I’m sorry.”

You open your mouth to speak but cut yourself short. he surprises you with a question, before moving forward. “Were you gonna say something?” he furrows his brows.

“No.” you shrug, casually shaking your head.

“Yes, you were… what were you gonna say?” You purse your lips at his question, stammering, putting a strand of your hair behind your ear. “You can tell me anything, Lass. You know that.”

Your voice comes out weak at first. You reboot your thoughts, sighing before restarting. “Not saying something, more like... asking you a question… but I don’t feel like it’s the right moment for that.” His gaze, quizzically roaming on your face, stays on your eyes until you speak again. You lick your lips with apprehension, but continue, carefully. “It’s just… you seem to be stressing a lot about this, and I don’t even know why.”

Bobby is taken aback but can’t hide the disappointment in his eyes. He paces to the window, placing his hands on the edge, looking through the glass with a wistful expression.

You stay behind him, hugging his waist. He grips one of your hands, raising it, brushing his lips on your knuckles. “I’m…. upset.” He sniffs, discreetly wiping under his eyes. “I just thought it was gonna be a happy moment for everyone…”

You ponder on asking him about the invite that took so long to be responded, on his side of the family. One very specific member that somehow, stopped calling. After you sent an invitation through email, his sister never gave an answer or any sort of signal. It had been almost a month. You figured she would call right away, or email back, but no. Nothing.

Until a couple of days ago, when you were working on Bobby’s computer, back at home, and a new message from her popped on the screen. You figured Bobby would read it, and let you know her answer, so you didn’t pry. For the whole time you two have been together, you never met her, and his parents, and Bobby himself, haven’t been talking about her much, if at all. Which it felt odd, since they were so perky about you meeting her, back when you visited them, in Glasgow, for the first time.

Damerae and Aileen have been avoiding her name on the phone, and that was the first sign you took to not ask about her. Something must have happened, but no one addresses it properly, or explains it, at all.

Within six months of your relationship, his sister moved out of the UK, and none of his family members talk about why. And now, after the email he got from her, Bobby has been stressing over details that don’t even concern him. On his default, he wouldn’t care less about the size of the ceramic vases or the right tone of peach for the flowers.

But this is not a default week.

You step closer, carefully choosing your words, hugging his waist. “Did something happen?”

He nods, still focusing on the sky, but his hands lie on top of yours “Yeah. Something happened.”

“So… what is it? Do you wanna talk about it?”

He chuckles sadly, squeezing your hand, sighing. “I called my mom and dad, to let them know that Janis…” he trails off, shaking his head. “I guess things have been harder these days… I thought she would come around… you know?” he looks at you with a pained expression. “I thought by sending the invite, she would reconsider…”

“Oh…” you move from behind him, to his side, observing the landscape as well. “She responded, then?” you take extra care to seem surprised at his response.

He nods, his gaze lost in an airplane cutting through the chalky clouds, the lights of its tail twinkling. “She simply sent a “no” to my email. No “Sorry, I can’t be there” or “That’s so cool, you’re getting married, but I can’t be there.”. None of that. Just a simple, two letters response. “No”.

“I’m sorry, babe.” You graze your palm on his back, over his shirt, trying your best to comfort him, even though deep down, you know it’s worthless.

“It’s just… it’s my sister… your parents… I don’t…” he cuts himself short, with a trembling sigh. “I just wanted this to be a good day, you know. For all of us to be in the same room, because you and I getting married it’s more important than the fights they have going on. Just… it’s family, you know.”

Bobby takes a deep, sorrowful breath. A ray of sunlight bathes his face, and he closes his eyes, letting a couple of tears stream down on his freckled cheeks, rolling to his chin. He wipes them with an angry motion, sniffing.

You cautiously think of your next words. “Is there anything I can do to help? About Janis?”

Bobby shakes his head. “It seems like I push everyone away from me!” he wipes his eyes with his forearm, a little sob escaping his lips. “First it was…” he gives you a weak, sad chuckle, before finishing his phrase. “And now my sister… I just don’t understand. What do I have to do with anything that has been going on?”

You furrow your brows in confusion. “Ok... what has been going on, babe?”

He keeps his gaze focused on the moving clouds above. For a moment, he hesitates, biting his lip with a little more strength. “D’you remember when I told you about a place, back in Scotland, that my grandfather was selling?”

“Yeah… you told me we should spend some days there… right?”

“Yes. That’s the place. He gave up on selling it. He couldn’t bring himself to do it, you know. There were a lot of memories with my…” he rubs his eyes with the heel of his hand. “… my grandmother, there. So, at first, he told me and Janis he would sell, and help us by giving us a share of the money.”

“Oh… ok.” You tilt your head, following his words.

“But since he couldn’t, Janis was angry. Apparently, there was a whole fight about the money he was getting for that house, and she needed it, asap.”

“That’s selfish of her!” you cover your mouth, after blurting out the words, policing yourself. But instead of shocked, Bobby simply shrugs.

“That’s what my mom said. To her. They had a huge argument about not raising her like that, and that she turned out to be…” he licks his lips, exhaling sharply. “Turned out to be a disappointment. That happened a couple of weeks before we opened the McKenzie.”

“Oh…”

“Yeah. That’s why she wasn’t here… you know, my parents stayed in Glasgow to take care of my mom’s dad. They have been doing it ever since. It wasn’t on their plans, you know.” He lowers his head, tapping his fingertips on the edge of the window. “They were gonna travel, they were gonna enjoy their retirement! Instead, they’re staying back, to take care of him, with no help.”

“Bobby…”

He gestures to the window, his voice frustrated. “I can’t be there!”

“I’m sure they understand, babe.”

“That’s the problem! They do! But Janis doesn’t have anything keeping her. We have the restaurant, our life together here. Janis is single, unemployed and simply moved out, out of spite!” Bobby’s tone is filled with disgust as he continues, gesturing wildly, spilling the truth all at once, no sugarcoating. “Just because she didn’t get her bloody money!! Imagine being that type of person! Imagine not helping out your family because you’re that selfish!” his gaze stays on the landscape, fiercely staring down at an antler above the building in front of yours. “I just thought... maybe inviting her... I don’t know... she would reconsider.”

You place a hand on his face, carefully turning it to see him. It breaks his trance, a sudden softer look invading his eyes. “Your sister’s deeds are on her. It’s not your fault.” You pause, biting your inner lip. “If someone is not coming to our wedding, it’s not on us… if you ask me, Janis is being extremely selfish! And she’s missing out on the best older brother she could have, Bobby.”

He frowns, his lips quiver as he rubs his eyes. You pull him closer, giving him a reassuring hug, his head buried in your hair as he mumbles. “I’m sorry… I’m such a mess.”

“No, you’re entitled to be upset. I had no idea that this was happening.”

He clenches his fist, rubbing it on his forehead. “I didn’t wanna overbear you.”

“So, instead, you kept it all to yourself, and has been hurting for the last eight months?”

He opens his mouth to speak, but instead, swallows hard, looking embarrassed. You chuckle, hugging him tightly, patting his back. “You don’t have to spare me, Bobby. You need to trust that I’m here for you.” You look directly in his eyes. “Don’t apologize for this. You’re worried about everything, and it’s understandable that you’re feeling the pressure. But please… don’t keep these things bottled up. It’s not gonna do you any good.”

He tosses his back, with a sigh of relief. Weak, but still relieved. “I’m just… I don’t know. It seems like people are trying to find reasons to not stay close to me...”

“What are you talking about?” you stare at him, and suddenly, you realize exactly what Bobby is saying. You take a moment, closing your eyes with a deep breath. “Look… if someone takes some time to stay away, that’s on them. It doesn’t matter their reasoning behind it, you shouldn’t feel guilty or unwanted.”

He sniffs. “Yeah, well, I still miss… them.”

“I do too… but every person has their time. And about Janis, I’m sorry that this happened, but…” you shake your head with a sarcastic chuckle. “If she didn’t consider coming back, to help your parents, then... do you really want someone like that on our special day?”

Bobby is taken aback, his eyes suddenly lost on his shoes, as if realization is dawning on him. “I guess… I guess not…?”

“It’s ok to be hurt that a sibling is not coming… but at the same time… she made her decision. She put money above family, and that’s not the kind of treatment you, your parents and grandfather deserve. You are all good people!” you place a hand on his heart. “Really good people!”

Unexpectedly, he throws his arms around you, burying his face in your hair, for a long moment. You can feel his heart thumping against yours, a sense of earnestness in his embrace. Your hands run on his shoulder blades, trying to relieve the pain, stroke by stroke. “It’s ok, babe… it’s ok… everything is gonna be fine.”

He mumbles, his face tangled in your hair. “I don’t know how you do it… how you stay so calm.” 

“Well… when you grew up with my mom and nan, you get the hang of it!”

“I guess.” He pulls away, and an awkward silence hovers the office. You notice Bobby hesitant, opening his mouth, but immediately closing it, trying his best to not make you uncomfortable. You know what he’s thinking, and after what you just learned, you put him out of his misery, by addressing the matter.

“Bobby. It’s ok. They’re not gonna be there, and I made my peace with it.”

He pouts, a puff of air escapes his lips, but he contains himself, not saying anything on the subject. You continue, with indifference on your tone. “Besides, I don’t need them. It’s been a few years, and I don’t like staying in the past. If anything, I’m focusing on my future, with you. That’s all that matters.” You place your palm on his temple, a strand of his hair touching the back of your hand. “You and me… that’s all I need.”

He tilts his head, sighing, feeling your fingers on the shaved portion of his head. Your voice comes out firmer, more secure. “I’m serious. I’m ok with it.” You pat him twice, on his shoulder, before heading to the file cabinet, shaking off the seriousness of the moment, searching for a folder in the file cabinet. “Don’t worry. Everything's gonna be alright.”

“Like the song said…” he smiles, a little more at ease.

“Exactly!” you hold up a thick, paper stack, flipping through the pages. “By the way, I don’t mean to end the subject just like that, but…” you wave it at him. “I have my bridesmaids… have you called your best man, yet?”

“Well… not yet.” He shrugs.

“Bobby!”

“What…? I’ve been busy…” he points to the desk surface, completely clean from documents. Your eyes roam on the lack of papers, narrowing at him with a grin.

“Yeah, bothering Miranda. Call him…!”

“Alright. I will.” He takes a seat on the couch, crossing his legs, tapping a pen on his shoe.

“Bobby… I meant now.”

“Oh, right! Sorry.”

You shake your head, laughing at his urgency, folder in hand, reaching for the knob. “Hey… tomorrow is Monday, and since we’re off the clock, what do you say we get some rest?”

“That works…” he beams with relief. “What do you have in mind?”

“Well…” you lick your lips. “Something like a surprise.”

“Hm… last time you had a surprise for us, I ended up in a cabin, in the middle of nowhere, with you dancing on my lap… so… sign me the fuck up!”

You smile largely, winking. Before heading out, you shoot him a tender look. “Hey.”

His eyes rise from his hands, fiddling with his watch. “Yeah?”

“I love you.”

“I love you too… and...” he pauses.

“Yeah?”

“Thank you, Lass…”

“It’s what fiancées are for…”

It lures a smile from him as you close the door behind you, winking.

~~


	12. Clean slate

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You drive to Chatham to resolve issues from the past.

As you leave Bobby in the office, to make the call, you keep thinking about what he said. “I’m just… I don’t know. It seems like people are trying to find reasons to not stay close to me...”

After leaving the show, Bobby thought he would carry many friendships on the outside, and one in particular, was his favorite to think about. The possibilities were endless but unfortunately, it didn’t happen the way he planned, and he and Gary hadn’t talked since the Reunion, almost two years ago.

You always felt bad, and guilty, since you were the reason Gary steered away from Bobby. It was true everyone had a little crush on everyone, and even though he never acted on his, Gary ended up falling for you.

The Reunion was supposed to be a happy moment, but your goodbye with such a close friend was one of the saddest moments you’ve ever had.

Bobby understood the boy’s reasons. But that doesn’t mean he wasn’t hurting because of it. Noah, Ibrahim, and even the others were somewhat, friends with you. But a friendship like Bobby had with Gary, back then, never happened for him again.

It hurts to see your boy hurting like that, and the more you reminisce on the last moment you had with Gary, the guiltier you feel.

His tears were streaming down, letting him a little breathless, but he continued. “That he knows the wonderful girl he has by his side…”

“Gary…”

“I mean it!” he sniffed again. “Anyone can see how in love you are, and that’s ok. Seriously…”

You pulled him into a hug. He tried to pull away, but you didn’t let him go. His face was resting on your shoulder, leaving a trail of tears on your costume. You felt your face wet as well, as you gripped him harder, trying to give him some reassurance.

His voice would come out trembling, weak. “Please don’t cry.” he pulled away and held you by your shoulders.

“How is that even possible? I didn’t lie before, Gary, I miss you… so much! We both do…”

“Who wouldn’t?” his thumb grazed on your cheeks, wiping away some of your tears as he tried to smile.

“You’re such a weirdo, Gary…”

“I know…”

He nodded, pulling you into a bear hug. You could feel his chest rising and falling as he sobbed. You knew that goodbye was hurting him. It wasn’t just about his feelings for you. It was about his feelings for Bobby, as well. Suddenly, the sound of a car pulling up broke the trance of your hug. He looked at you fondly for a moment, before talking a little closer, his gaze on yours. You never heard his thunderous voice so soft, and low. “I promise. I’ll be alright…”

Gary kissed your cheek for a long moment before hugging you once more. Your heart was clenched by some invisible force as your throat closed. You tried your best to keep it together, but it was hurtful. As he pulled away, reluctantly, he wiped under his eyes, shooting you one last look and a sad smile, before hopping in the car.

You watched him leave, and with him, every possibility of the friendship you and Bobby imagined you would have, on the outside. The light breeze from the night turned into a heavy gust of wind, making you hug yourself, standing in front of the gate as the party winded down, on the inside.

Sometimes you catch yourself thinking about that night, and what Bobby told you after Gary left. “You don’t have to feel guilty, you know that, right?”

He held you close to his chest, trying his best to take your pain away, but he was feeling it as well. There was a weak tone to his raspy, perky voice. “All I can say is, and I don’t know if this makes you feel better or worse, but… he fell for you, and there’s nothing we can do about it.”

You could see Bobby’s sadness through his words. He knew things wouldn’t go back to be the same, and the moment he realized that, it was painful.

After that night, Bobby and you would sometimes attend to events that were part of your contract. And it was always a gloomy moment, since you both would see Gary, in the distance, taking pictures with fans, or giving an interview, and it would be impossible to even say “hi”.

He would leave as soon as he could, and even though he promised he would reach out, once he was over his feelings, he never did. The phone never rang.

You thought about going after him. Perhaps, go to Chatham and fix this, once and for all, but every time your thoughts went there, you thought about the possibility of his feelings still being there. It was better to respect his space.

However, the situation Bobby’s family was currently in, and yours, not coming to the wedding, for reasons you were tired to explain to everyone who asked, had you in your limit. You learned, as time went by, that nothing was permanent, but you had to do your best to keep important things from ending.

Not every person that enters your life will stay. Life happens, and not all your friends will be around forever, that’s why you need to hold on to those you love, doing the best you can to stay together.

Those thirty days changed your life, for better. But it wasn’t just because of Bobby, even though he was the biggest reason. The friends you made for life, like Chelsea and Priya, were also part of your new life. They were there for you, and would continue being, because that’s what you do when you love someone. You hold on to them.

Bobby’s life was also changed, and he’s thankful for having you. But a friendship like his and Gary doesn’t happen that often, and even though he stayed close to a couple of boys, he would still miss him.

He kept every picture, and would still make the old jokes, from the Villa, that he and Gary would use to annoy everyone. He would even look at you, for support, to deliver the punchline, but it didn’t feel the same.

He missed him and it was obvious. If it was his choice, Bobby would have Gary as his best man, and that’s just a fact. They understood each other and were always on the same wavelength. Your fiancée did have friends on the outside, but as you were surprised to learn, they weren’t close. You understood why he was holding on to Gary’s friendship so much, and it was time to do something about it.

~~

“Hello?” a velvety voice picks up the call.

“Hey… it’s me… it’s Bobby.”

“Yeah, I know, I have your number, man…” Noah chuckles.

“Right… right…”

“So, what’s up? Is everything ok? You sound a bit… unsettled there.” Noah’s comforting tone gives Bobby a moment to breathe.

“I just called because, well…” he decides the rough approach is the best. “I want you there… at the altar.”

“Oh, my days…” Noah trails off, his voice fading. “Are you asking me what I think you’re asking me?”

“Noah… you live in Romford, and it’s raining all the time! So, I’m not driving there to ask you this!” Bobby takes a deep breath, blurting out his question as he stops, facing the window. “Do you wanna be my best man?”

A loud chuckle comes from the other side of the line, but he quickly recomposes himself, responding kindly and calmly. “Of course! It will be my honor, cake man!”

“Cake man, huh? Well, that’s better than toe-boy.” His brows furrow, sorrowfully.

“She still calls you that, huh?” Noah’s voice changes its tone, going a little louder with amusement.

“She wouldn’t miss the opportunity, would she?!” Bobby sits on the chair, drumming with a couple of pens, on the edge of the desk. “But hey! That’s great news! I don’t know why I was so nervous about asking you this.”

“I am the most quality friend you have, Bobby. So, it’s natural for you to feel starstruck when you talk to me.”

“You know… I really prefer you when you’re quiet… and gentleman-y”

Noah laughs heartily. “Just don’t tell Rahim, though. I know for a fact he would be hurt.”

Bobby’s voice weakens with disappointment. “I should be the one who’s hurt. He’s not coming.”

“Wait, what?”

“He didn’t mention it to you…? Yeah, he’s gonna be touring, and won’t be able to come. I think at the time of the wedding, he’ll be playing in China…? Maybe… I don’t know. It’s far.”

Bobby tries his best to sound natural. For a moment, there’s a silence in the call. Both of them know exactly what Noah is about to ask, but neither of them breaks the ice first. “Go ahead, Noah. Ask me. But you know the answer is no.”

“Then, I’m not gonna ask you.” His silky voice maintains its tone. “But I would call him if I were you. I don’t think he’s gonna care… he’s dating someone.”

Bobby’s eyes go wide. “He is?”

“Last time I saw him, he was dating this girl from last season. I forgot her name.”

Bobby snaps his finger, remembering her face from the last event you attended together. “I think it was Talia. I saw a picture of them, together, on Instagram… didn’t know they were dating, though…”

“That’s the one!” Noah exclaims, his voice modulating in tones you Bobby didn’t even know he had. “After you told me what went down at the Reunion, I figured you and he had talked, at least once...”

“No!” Bobby spins on his chair, a pained tone coming across as he continues. “He never called. He said all those things to her, but never talked to me... last time we spoke was on the dancefloor… and there wasn’t much to talk about, anyway.”

“I guess he was embarrassed. He did keep the distance with her. And I can only think he didn’t want to seem invasive or anything... come on, you know him.”

“Yeah. This is what hurts, you know!” Bobby tries his best to stay calm. “I just… ok. I get it. He liked her. But…” he sighs, being cut by Noah.

“Look, man. I know how close you guys were back then, but if it’s not gonna help, perhaps you shouldn’t give him a call, then. As much as it hurts, maybe it’s best to just leave it in the past.”

Bobby stays in silence after Noah’s words. He had been in a tough place, but he never really considered giving up. “Look, I’ll decide later. I… hold on. Let me get my schedule to check something.” He opens the desk drawer, picking up a thick journal, and flipping through the pages, he jabs his finger on the 18 th . “So, Saturday, two weeks from now, on the 18 th , can you be here? It’s the rehearsal.”

“Chelsea already confirmed with me, and I’m bringing a date…” Noah’s voice fades as he realizes the avalanche of questions to come, but instead, Bobby’s distraction doesn’t let him hang on the information for too long, his gaze fixated on the number eighteen, on the top of the page.

“That’s… cool. I’ll see you then.”

Noah gives him a quick goodbye, hanging up the phone. Bobby does the same, pinching the bridge of his nose, squinting. He looks down at the screen but cannot bring himself to dial the number he’s been trying for months.

It’s like a staring contest, and he loses it every time.

He bites his thumb, trying to practice the dialogue in his head, failing miserably at each attempt, as always. The door cracks open, and as you walk in to put the file back, you raise your head to see the worry in his eyes.

“Are you ok, babe?”

“What? Yeah… I’m fine…” he throws a dismissive hand.

“Did you call Noah?”

“Yeah, yeah…”

“Did you call Rahim?”

“Yeah, he can’t make it. I called him this morning.” He’s still dazed, looking at his phone.

“Oh, that’s too bad! I was looking forward to seeing him!” you put back the file you took a few minutes ago, closing the drawer, still watching Bobby’s concerned look. “What’s wrong, Bobby?”

His gaze roams to you, still lost in thought. “What? Oh, nothing.”

“Are you worried about…?” you raise your brows.

“Yeah.” he sounds defeated. “I haven’t talked to him since… you know… I guess I should’ve known it would be like this once we left…” A puff of air flows from his lips with a sad laugh. “I just didn’t want to believe it.”

“You shouldn’t worry about it.”

“Yeah? Why is that?”

“Because I’m driving to Chatham, to talk to him.” You pick up the car keys hanging on the hook, by the door, with resolution in your eyes.

Bobby bolts from the chair, his head shaking rapidly as he tries to comprehend the words coming out of your mouth. “I-I’m sorry, I thought I heard you saying you were going there?”

"That's right.”

“So… you’re going there? Just like that?”

You take a sharp breath, exhaling as you crack your knuckles. “I… don’t want to keep this thing… Whenever we go to an event together, and he’s there, we don’t talk. It’s always awkward and full of the three of us, avoiding each other! I don’t like that! I always thought he would call us, eventually, once he was over the whole thing.”

“What makes you think he’s over you?” Bobby raises his brows, a preoccupied hint on his eyes.

“Because he told Chelsea… over brunch… like two months ago!” you let out a heavy sigh. “I figured he would come around and call… and since I don’t know why he didn’t, I’m going there, to find out!”

He sighs. “I see… so you’re driving there? Just like that, out of the blue?”

“Usually driving is pretty simple, you know… wheel, gas, erm…” you put a finger on your lips, looking at him with pensiveness. “What’s the other called?”

He pushes you, playfully, with a coy smile, licking his lips. He pauses before speaking again, a little more serious. “Do you want me to go with you?”

“Nah… you stay here. I’ll talk to him, and maybe… get him to come here... I don’t know.”

“Ok…”

“’ll see you later, alright?”

“Ok.” he pulls you with an unsure smile. “Give me a kiss.” brushing his lips on yours, trying his best to keep a strong facade, Bobby lets go of your hands as you head to the door.

“Hey. I’ll be back soon.” You close it behind you, leaving him alone in the office, going downstairs to your car.

~~

Arriving at Chatham, you park close to the rails of the docks, whipping your phone out of your pocket, sitting on the hood of your car. You’ve never been there before, but you’re not disappointed at the view. The water is on the horizon, and as your gaze roams, you see a couple of fishing boats, floating calmly on the water. There’s loud yelling coming from the docks ahead, a few men beckoning the others, indicating to drop the anchors.

It’s a beautiful May afternoon, the temperature is fierce, the sunbeams tingle on your skin as it warms it up, followed by a suave breeze, that picks up a couple of strands from your hair, making them flow with the direction of the wind, relieving the heat.

Some seagulls perch on the rails in front of your car, bickering the wood, a shriek coming from them as they go to the ground, eating whatever was scattered on the dirt. You talk to yourself with a playful voice. “Huh… that does remind me of a couple of people.”

A sudden thunderous, known voice comes from behind you. “Does it? Huh… always thought it was more than a couple.”

You turn around to see Gary, his hands in his ripped jeans’ pockets, staring at the ground, as he approaches you. You immediately chuckle, getting down from the hood. “Ok… three people.”

“Yeah…” He stands next to you, mimicking your pose against the front of the car, arms folded over his chest. “You’re kinda far from London.”

“Am I? This isn’t London?” you look at your surroundings, frantically.

He shoves you playfully, shaking his head. “Your jokes used to be way better than that.”

“Oh! I can do better… I’m just not in the mood.” You shrug with a small smile.

“Then…” he looks directly at you for the first time, squinting. “What are you in the mood of? What are you doing here?”

“Wow… I’ve heard the Chatham hospitality was better than this. According to the city hall website, it’s supposed to be a welcoming town…”

“According to the website, it’s a place that “Cultivates growth, shore to shore”. So, I don’t know what Chatham you were looking into, ma’am, but this isn’t it…” he laughs, nudging you.

“Well. I guess… but since you wanna be so direct, I’m here on an official mission. And I won’t leave until we talk about it.”

Gary sighs, clenching his jaw. “Alright.”

Your gaze travels around you, looking for a specific place for you both to sit down, and have that talk. “So… is there any ice cream joint we can go to?”

“Ice cr… joint? This is Chatham, ma’am! Have some respect!” he playfully shoves you.

“Ooh, I’m sorry… is there any… ice cream… parlor? Spot… I don’t fucking know!”

Gary chuckles under his breath, shaking his head, then nods to the east side of the port. “Alright… come on…” You follow him as he crosses the street, timidly glancing at you as you walk towards the curb, along with him. He speaks again, a little lower than usual. “So… how is Bobby?”

“We can talk once we get there. I’m not giving anything up unless the ice cream is quality, sir!”

“My nan would be proud.”

He smiles, not looking at you directly, indicating the front of a shop, right down the corner. You follow him to the glass door, and as you walk in, you see a small, but lovely place, surrounded by all sorts of ice cream posters, and signed pictures of famous people, that once had a banana split or a sundae.

“Wow… this is nice.” Your eyes fall on the white, rustic wooden tables, each of them with two places set, a floral arrangement in glass vases, on each surface. A combination of mixed cerulean and mint colors on the floor, in a marble style paint job, gives the spot even a quainter appearance.

“Yeah… I’ve been coming here since I was a kid.” He nods to a table.

“Really?!” you’re taken aback, imagining a small, pale boy, running around with several sundaes in his hands.

“Before you ask… yes. It was always more than one sundae!”

You laugh, taking a seat as he sits across from the square table. “Old habits die hard, I guess. Bobby always gets two or three as well!” Gary winces, but doesn’t say anything. “Sorry…”

“No! Don’t be sorry…” he trails off, staring at the massive glass wall behind you, his eyes following the movement of a couple of cars on the streets. He averts his gaze, turning it to the counter, concern on his undertone. “So… I was surprised when you called. I didn’t expect to hear from you.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.” he lowers his brows, still avoiding you.

“Hm, it’s weird… I thought I was gonna hear from you. Clearly, I was wrong.”

“Look…”

“No… Gary, you look. I’m here to talk to you about your friend. You know? Bobby…?”

“Bobby? As in you and I were never friends, huh?” Gary says with a sarcastic perch on his lips. “Are we friends… Bobby and I?” he narrows his eyes, shifting on his seat. “Because we haven’t been exactly talking… and I haven’t seen him since the Reunion…”

“Whose fault is that?” you shoot him an accusatory look.

“Wow…” he scratches his beard, raising his brows, sighing. “Maybe this was a mistake.”

He mentions to get up, but you exhale heavily from your mouth, catching his attention. His eyes go wide as he looks at you, taken aback and apprehensive. “I’m just…” you lick your lips, tightening your jaw. “You didn’t show up after the Reunion… you didn’t come to the opening. You don’t take my calls… what the fuck, man?”

“Oh, come on… you know damn right what the fuck…” His annoyed gaze falls on the small vase of flowers on the table as he rubs his scruff.

“So… does it all mean you’re still…?” you tilt your head up, searching for his eyes.

“I’m not.” He looks directly at you with misty eyes. “It’s been a while I’m not… it’s just…” Gary sits back, puffing air with a frustrated tone. You forgot how quickly he can go from calm to upset. “How do you go back? After everything that went down… how do you… how do you go back?” He chuckles sadly, rubbing his giant palms on his entire face, trying to recompose.

“Gary…”

You’re cut short by his desperate voice, as he leans over, both fists on the table, a tear rolling on his red cheek. “I’m seriously asking! How can I just show up to your restaurant…? You know… after telling you I was still in love with you? H-how do you…” he trails off, drying his tears with the sleeves of his flannel.

You toss your head back, trying to stop a couple of tears of your own, reminiscing on the night at the Reunion, where Gary told you he was still in love with you. He did everything he could to not cross the line, and desperately move on. He left you at the gate, after not only declaring his love, but making sure you knew it wasn’t your fault. He made sure you didn’t feel guilty for being with Bobby. A violent sniff escapes from both of you.

“You didn’t talk to him, did you?” you bite your inner lip as he stares at you.

“No. He was my friend… we promised each other to not let a bird come between us, but the truth is…” Gary leans back on his chair, his arms crossed on his chest. “We both knew it would be impossible to hang out, once we left. It was one thing if you guys broke up. I could hang out with him, no problem... or you, separately.”

He stops talking as a young woman brings two dessert menus to the table, quickly heading back. As she’s far from earshot, he continues. “But you guys stayed together. And at first it was hard because of my… feelings.”

He exhales slowly. ”Then… the restaurant thing kinda hit me hard. I didn’t see that coming. Mate, when I saw it on Twitter, I thought to myself “Reunion is gonna be the fucking worst”. And I was right.”

“Gary…”

“And then, when I finally saw you and him… it hurt more than I thought it would.” He nods slowly. “Not because you were happy. I wanted you and Bobby to be happy. But I was also hurting because… I knew I couldn’t bring myself to be friends with him anymore.”

He runs his hand on his hair, a closed fist on his mouth, exhaling heavily. “I didn’t want to make things uncomfortable, so I just steered away… every chance I had. A few months later, after the Reunion, when we saw each other on that TV party, I kept my distance because I didn’t know what to say!”

You keep listening to Gary’s words as he blurts them out, visibly hurting. “I didn’t know how to go back… at that point, I wanted to call him, I-I wanted to tell him I was sorry…”

You cut him short. “You just didn’t know how.”

He blinks slowly. “Yes. I wanted to congratulate you, you know. It was so cool that you guys were opening a business together. I figured you would need support, but I don’t think I was capable of that, at the time…” he wipes a couple of tears. “Chelsea told me you guys were ok, and I was happy for you! I really was… that’s when I realized I wasn’t in lov…” He stops himself, gesturing to you. “Well, you know.”

“Yeah, I know.” You chuckle under your breath, a trembling sniff escaping you.

“And since then, I haven’t been able to call him. I’ve stared at my phone so many times… trying to come up with something to say, but every time is even worse than the other.”

“Ha!” you nod knowingly with a sad smile.

”What? What’s so funny?”

“It’s just… I caught Bobby doing the same thing a couple of times. He doesn’t know I saw it…”

His face brightens up and he grins automatically. “Really?!” his goofy smile grows as he shakes his head, muttering. “That’s Bobby.”

“That’s Bobby… and you.”

Gary nods, taking a deep breath, before sniffing again. “And now you guys are getting married…” for the first time in your conversation, a genuine glow shines in his blue eyes. He taps his fingers on the table. “He must be freaking out about the food, huh…?”

“Yeah, and…” you stop speaking, feeling a discomfort in your stomach but ignore it, restarting your phrase. “We just wanted you to be there… this entire time, Bobby and I have been together. I gotta say Gare, it hits different when it’s Rahim… or Noah.”

“Nah… you’re just saying that…” he coyly throws a hand but can’t help a smile to himself.

“No, I’m not...”

You feel another turn in your stomach, taking a deep breath as Gary tilts his head forward, reaching for your shoulder. “Are you alright, mate?”

“Yeah, no… I’m fine…” you swallow hard, beads of sweat appearing on your temples. “Continue.”

“Look. I know why you’re here… and I’m sorry, but I...”

“Gary!” you sputter his name, feeling another turn in your stomach, making you sprint towards the door, slamming it open and running to the curb. Alarmed, Gary follows you, waving for the girl, bringing the ice cream samples, to set it on the table. He catches on, stopping abruptly just in time to see you feeling sick.

“Oh, my days… ok…” he raises his brows, first looking at his surroundings, searching for something, then, at his pockets, patting each one, until he finds a handkerchief, handing it to you. “Here, mate…” he pats your back as your throat closes, a dizziness taking over your movements. You lose your balance, making Gary, instinctively, hold you, before you tumble to the ground. “Ok, it’s ok. You’re ok.” He leads you to sit on the bench, in front of the shop’s window, running inside. A moment later, he comes back, several napkins in one hand, and a bottle of sparkly water on the other. “Take this…”

“Argh…” you dry your forehead with a napkin, suddenly feeling thirsty, gulping on the water. “Thanks…” As you feel your stomach empty, you mouthwash with the water, spitting it on the ground, beside your seat.

Gary nods at you with an impressed face. “Lovely…”

“Oh, shut the fuck up!” you throw a dismissive hand, hitting his upper arm. His hearty laugh echoes on the empty street, infecting you as you both share an intense chuckle, shaking your heads with disgust.

“Wow… that was… filthy…” he nods to the curb.

“Yeah, that’s what it is, genius! Now, shut up!” you get up from the bench, still feeling some nausea, but you’re able to go back inside, Gary holding you by your elbow and leading you to walk in.

“Watch the step.”

You take your seats, but the minute you catch the scent of the strawberry sauce and banana on one of the samples, your stomach growls violently, alerting you to sprint, again. Your feet are faster than your thoughts, taking you outside.

Gary nods to the clerk. “We’re just gonna take the water, thanks.” He shrugs with a grin. She nods back, bringing the ice cream samples back to the counter. “Thanks… and erm… another two bottles? Just to be safe.” He winks, watching you feel sick from inside, hurrying to pay for the products, now stepping out of the shop. “Here you go…” He pats your back, supportively, saying random words, trying to make you feel better. “That’s it… let it… all… out…?” You turn your face from the curb to stare at him, quizzically. He shrugs. “I don’t know…”

“Clearly…” you chortle, sitting on the bench again, this time, hugging your knees, trying to avoid the look from a few people walking by.

He joins you, sighing. “Did you have anything weird to eat?”

You take a couple of seconds to answer, air escaping your mouth. “Well… Bobby is perfecting his Jerk Hag…”

“Yep! There it is! Let’s pack it up, this case is closed.”

“Oh, stop it!” You slap his forearm, playfully.

His gaze travels from you, to the blue sky on the horizon. You can see the sea water rippling with the sun beams, a few sparkly dots on the vast turquoise in front of you. You smile to yourself, the nostalgia of the Villa warming your heart. For a brief moment, it felt like you were back, sitting on the roof terrace, staring at the sunset. You, Bobby and Gary would do it, every afternoon, licking ice-lollies, just enjoying each other’s company, while the others were on each other’s’ throats.

His voice breaks you from your trance, bringing your mind back. “How about… I drive you to the closest drugstore, and we can try to calm your stomach down?”

“With what?”

He grabs the brown bag, taking a lemon-flavored water, and giving it to you. “Here.”

“Huh. Clever.”

“You sound surprised.” He narrows his eyes.

“You sound offended…” you smirk at him, nudging his arm. “Thanks.”

He nudges you back with a soft smile. “You’re welcome.” As you take a couple of sips, the liquid tickles your tongue, bringing relief to your nausea.

He smiles as he stares at the boats. “Now… I think it’s safe to say I’m driving?” without waiting for an answer, Gary picks up the bag and links his arm with yours, taking you to your car, a couple of streets ahead.

Once you’re back, you lean against the door, gripping the sides of your head, in hopes to stop your wooziness. He opens the passenger door for you, adjusting your seat belt. You see bright yellow stars and purple bubbles instead of his face, laughing at the visuals framing his head. “Thanks, Gary.”

“You’re welcome.” He sits beside you, starting the car, chuckling. “You must be seeing unicorns right now, huh?”

“No… just bubbles.”

“Ha! Even worse. Your blood pressure must be on the ground. Hold up.” He takes your wrist in his hand, pressing his thumb on your veins, and counting mentally, staring at his watch. “Yep… definitely. I’ll get you there in no time. Just… drink the water, alright?”

You nod, slowly, feeling a warmth invading your neck and cheeks, your heart slowing its beats every minute.

“Do you have any snacks here?” he opens the glove compartment, searching for food. You shake your head, mouthing “no”. “You used to have food everywhere in the Villa…. What happened?” he starts the car, turning on the next corner.

“Erm… my wedding dress is worth £20.000… so… yeah... that’s what happened to my snack packs.” You say weakly with a chuckle.

“£20.000!?”

“Hey, I didn’t pay for it…” you shrug, adjusting your head on the backrest of your seat.

“I mean… still… it’s a lot of money for one dress.”

“I’m with you there, buddy… it was…” you exhale sharply, gulping on the water. “… courtesy.”

His lips are pursed as he looks at you, impressed. “Wow… nice. Friends in the right places, huh?” You nod with a puny smile as he continues. “So… he’s getting there, huh?” he turns on a new street.

“What?”

“The recipe… it’s going well, then?”

“You’d know if you were there…”

He makes his signature annoyed face. “Har, har…”

“I’m not laughing, Gary.”

“Wh… you know what… fine!” he throws his arms, his tone going strong with every sentence. “Chelsea told me about your engagement… and I was just… I don’t know… I didn’t want to be invasive with my presence! I didn’t pick up the courage to talk to him about my feelings for you and…”

“You’re such a fucking wanker!!” you hoist yourself up, getting a grip on the panel in front of you.

“Wha… what?! Why?”

“Because we invited you, you stupid…”

“Ok, no need for name cal…”

“I’m still talking!” Gary raises his brows, staring at the wheel. “I’m just… we invited you! That was our way of saying “everything is ok!” Bobby constantly makes the ice-lollies joke, and it doesn’t work because I can’t make that voice you do!”

“Ha… that’s a good one…” he giggly mumbles under his breath.

“Yeah! No shit! And he misses you…” you sigh. “And so do I... you know, for the longest time we were in there, I thought it was gonna be you and him and me and Chelsea and Priya, hanging out together, just… being friends!” you slap the panel with frustration.

Gary’s gaze roams on the front of the car as he parks it, in front of the drugstore, then turns to you. He doesn’t say anything, one hand still on the wheel, apprehensive to give you an answer.

“That’s all I wanted, Gare. I didn’t need thirty friends from there, I didn’t want half of the people to remember that I exist. From everyone in there, I just… I really wanted you to be our friend.”

He bites his lip from saying anything. With flustered cheeks and a sigh, he unbuckles his seat belt, opening the door. “I’ll be right back.”

You toss your head back, feeling the weight on your shoulders disappear, slowly. He goes in, leaving you alone in the car, with your boring treat, the sparkly water. After a few minutes of fiddling with the bottle cap, you notice him coming back, another brown bag in hands.

“Here… take this.” You see the nausea killer pill pack as he takes one to offer it to you. You take them, swallowing it with a gulp from your flavored water. “I forgot you need liquid to swallow a pill.”

“Gary, only psychopaths don’t.”

“Right…” his face crumples with a sad laugh, before he continues. “Look… I appreciate you coming here…”

As he speaks, you fan yourself, feeling a heat wave. A few beads of sweat grow on your forehead, rolling on your temples, along with a shudder on your arms. Your stomach, even though empty, urges for you to reach for the door, and bending over, you feel sick for the third time.

Gary looks at you, not knowing what to do. “Do you want me to take you to the emergency room? There’s one…” he points to behind him with his thumb.

Your hand raises, stopping him. “No… no… I’m ok.”

“You’re not ok… come on… I’ll take you there.”

Your blood pressure drops even more, the thumping of your heart on your fingertips. “Gary…” Your head falls forward, as you lose control of your torso. You feel his hands holding you, trying to keep you in place, so you won’t fall from the seat. He taps your cheeks, lightly, in hopes to get a verbal response. His voice is nervous, but distant, almost inaudible. No sound is loud enough for you to hear.

The sensation of being underwater takes your whole body, your limbs go numb as you try to raise your arm, and the noises around you fade as quickly as you. He calls out your name, trying his best to get a response, in vain.

The sunlight cuts through the image of a desperate Gary, yelling at his surroundings as he holds you by your shoulders.

You feel a cold splash on your face and another set of tapping, his giant hands on the sides of your face.

“Can you hear me?”


	13. Back home

You wake up bewildered, your head still feels heavy, but you can breathe deeply now as you blink slowly. There are known voices coming from a distance, and you realize you’re at home. Patting yourself, you see your covers, up to your chin, and you realize, you’re tucked in your bed. “How did I…?”

As footsteps approach, you see Bobby running towards you, immediately putting the back of his hand on your forehead, his voice slightly relieved. “Lass! Oh, thank god!”

You feel the warmth of his skin on yours, a reassuring feeling with it. “Hi.”

You raise your eyes to see Gary, holding a towel and a water bottle. “Hey!” he waves them with a comforted smile. “You gave us quite the scare there!”

“Hi…” Your voice is weak, and Bobby grazes his thumb on your cheek, now feeling your body temperature through your neck.

“How are you feeling?” his voice is concerned as he takes a seat beside you. You hoist yourself up, trying to find the words, but still, the dizziness is very present, not letting you think straight. “I… I think I need to…” you clear your throat. “I’m hungry.”

The two boys share a look, smiling. “Yeah, she’s alright.” They both chuckle as Bobby nudges Gary with a knowing look, mouthing “thank you”. Gary can’t help but smile back, shrugging.

You look at them, in turns, as they hold each other’s gaze. “So… what about that food, though?” your voice cut the moment between them as they realize the urgency in your voice.

“Right… Gary just made a great chicken broth.”

“Wait… I don’t wanna get sick again, let’s order something!” you joke, leaning your back on the headboard.

“Har, har… I’ll have you know this is my nan’s recipe! And it’s great.” he pats his own shoulder with a hint of pride in his eyes.

“So… you learned how to cook, huh? Miracles do exist!” sarcasm drips with your words, as you grin at the boys, fluffing your covers with a grin.

Bobby stifles a laugh, shaking his head. “I’ll go get it.” He heads to the kitchen, leaving you and Gary alone, winking at you.

“You sure you’re feeling alright? I didn’t know what to do…” he approaches, standing by your nightstand. “I brought you here as fast as I could… you didn’t wanna go to the E.R, but you did mention a family doctor that sees you.”

“I hate hospitals…”

“I remember… anyway… I rushed you here, trying to make that Bluetooth thing in your car call Bobby. That thing is busted, by the way!” he points to behind him with a thumb, grinning.

“It wasn’t this morning… grandpa!”

“Hey! I raced you here! I’m not a grandpa…” he chuckles.

“Yeah? You raced? Tokyo drift style?” you cross your arms over the covers.

“Ha! They wish…” He smiles, scratching his head, now disconcerted. “So, I gotta go… I just wanted to make sure you were ok.”

“Wait… you’re leaving? Already?” you grab his wrist, holding it between your cold fingers.

“Yeah… I work tomorrow, and it’s a long way back.”

“Oh, come on. It’s just 30 something miles… stay… we have plenty of room…”

“You live in a two-bedroom apartment where your second room is a giant office.” He laughs, stroking your knuckles with his massive thumb. “But knowing you’re ok it’s enough.”

You tilt your head, lowering your brows. “I mean… if we’re good… why not stay? I’m sure you and Bobby would love to tease me about flower arrangements or… I don’t know, bridesmaids’ dresses!”

“It’s…”

“They’re peach!” you blurt out, with an expectant grin.

“Wow…” he hisses, trying to control himself to not tease you. “It’s just…” he’s cut short by Bobby, coming back with a steaming bowl of the chicken broth on a tray, sitting on the bed, offering it to you.

“So, big man… what do you say? Wanna have cold pizza?” Bobby nods to the door with a smile.

“Nah… I’m gonna go…” he waves his hand, frivolously. “I gotta catch the bus.”

“What? Bus? No way! I’m taking you back!” Bobby’s eyes go from you to him surprised.

“Bobs… it’s cool, honestly. I just wanted to make sure she was alright. She was paler than Lottie when she got in the Villa…!”

They share a laugh, but almost immediately, the room falls silent, a heavier atmosphere taking over. You contemplate addressing the elephant in the room, but instead, you take a spoonful of the broth, shaking your head lightly, recovering from your low blood pressure.

Your mind travels what it seems to be miles, searching for a subject to talk about, and then, it hits you. “What happened there, anyway?” you look up, taking another spoonful of the broth, innocently looking at Gary. “With you and Lottie… what happened?”

“Lass…” Bobby stares at you.

“Oh, come on… we’re all friends… well… we were…” you shrug, not being able to stop your sincerity in time.

“Lass…!” his eyes go wide.

“What? it’s true!”

Gary scratches the back of his head, a distressed expression spreading on his face. “She’s right… we were… look...” He bites his inner lip, before continuing. “Lottie and I was never gonna… she’s too…” he trails off.

“She’s a bitch.” you shrug.

“Lass!”

“What? It’s true too!” you wave your spoon in the air, pointing it at Gary as you speak. “She was always bitching about people and drama but was always the first to be in the middle!”

Bobby perches his lips, Gary does the same, raising his brows. “Yeah… among other things. She was really intense, and it was… I don’t know… it was weird. I always thought I was gonna find a deeper connection there, but it was… too much.”

“Did you do the dumping?” You look at him, smiling. Bobby opens his mouth, but no sound comes out and he sighs with defeat. “Oh, come on… she was obsessed… it had to be gorilla-boy to dump her!”

“Wow! Just… wow.” Gary nods slowly, stifling a laugh. He shrugs, sitting on the edge of the bed, looking at Bobby with a guilty look. “Yeah… I broke up with her. I had to. It wasn’t gonna work out anyway. Why pushing, you know?”

Bobby places his hand on Gary’s shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze and a sincere smile. The three of you stay in silence, for a moment as you stay contemplating what could’ve been Lottie’s face when Gary broke up with her.

“So… are you seeing anyone?”

“Lass… you’re unfiltered today.”

You furrow your brows. “I don’t need a filter to talk to a friend… do I?”

Gary smiles, looking down at his shoes, then up, to you and Bobby in turns. “No, you don’t… and no, I’m not seeing anyone at the moment. Not anymore.” He shoots Bobby a knowing look.

“I thought you were seeing that girl, Talia…?” you take a sip of water, from a pitcher on your nightstand. “Maybe you’ll meet someone at the wedding. When you come. Because I won’t take a “no” for an answer…!”

Bobby shuts his eyes from embarrassment, facepalming, but can’t help a chuckle.

“I don’t think I’ll be able to…”

“I won’t take a “no” for an answer. What, are you deaf?” you stare at him.

“Wh… so I don’t have a choice?” he points to his own chest, taken aback by your attitude, a hint of a grin on the corner of his mouth.

“You never did, honestly. I don’t know why you thought you did!”

“Ooh, Garebear… I believe you’re being summoned.” Bobby gets up, to stand beside him, by the end of the bed, patting his shoulder.

“Yeah… no way of getting out of it, huh?” his gaze goes from you to Bobby.

“I gotta agree with her there. We’d love to have you, if you decide to come.” Bobby perches his lips, sniffing as he pats Gary’s back. “You’ll be welcome like an old friend.”

Gary’s eyes stop at Bobby’s as they share a look. He takes a deep breath, absorbing Bobby’s words, trying his best to suppress tears already growing on the corners of his eyes.

Bobby unexpectedly throws his arms around him, pulling him into a tight hug. Gary’s trunky arms embrace him back, awkwardly accepting it as they exchange muffled words, both faces buried on each other’s shoulders.

They pull away, to see you, eating a piece of toast, amused with the gesture they exchanged, shaking your head as your eyes rolled. “See?” you gesture to them, munching on another piece. “All you needed was a nudge.”

“And for you to pass out, mate.”

“That too.” You point the toast at them, chewing.

The three of you exchange a smile, and Gary moves to the chair by the door, picking up his plaid shirt. “Well, I gotta go.”

Bobby gets his keys from the nightstand, addressing you. “Lass… Gabriel is in the kitchen. I’ll take Gary back…”

“No, please… I can take the bus…”

“No! I’m taking you back and won’t take a “no” for an answer.” Bobby shoots you an expectant look. You nod at him, winking.

“Seriously, you don’t have to, man. The bus is easy and it’s quick too.”

“Quicker than a car? Like I said, I won’t take a “no” for an answer.”

Gary sighs, but smiles with gratitude. “Alright.” He points to your bowl. “Finish the whole thing… you’ll feel better.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll see you at the Wedding, right?” you look at him, expectantly, brows raised. “On the 19th?”

He sighs, nodding with a bashful smile. “Right. See you then.”

Bobby winks at you, kissing your forehead, before leaving the room with Gary, who waves. You can make him, mouthing “Thank you” as he leaves and nod in response, watching them disappear after the door.

~~

You stir in the bed, pulling the duvet over you, but once you hear the sound of the keys on the console table, you jump from under the covers, heading to the living room, still a little giddy.

“Hey.” Bobby runs to embrace you, leading you back to the bedroom. “You’re supposed to be resting.”

“I’m alright… don’t worry.”

“Yeah… you know that’s impossible, right?” His lips curve into a relieved smile as he sees some crimson tone on your cheeks. “How are you feeling?”

“A little dizzy, but not as bad as I was a few hours ago.”

“Yeah, even your voice sounds better… you sound like yourself now.”

“Yeah. I’m feeling my heart beating normally, now. No heat waves either… I’m good.” You take his hand in yours, lacing your fingers together. “Did you take Gary home?”

“I did.” He nods slowly.

“Yeah? Is he coming for real?”

Bobby bites his lips, giving you an uncertain shrug. A certain gloom is apparent as he sits on the bench in front of the bed, taking you to sit on his lap. “Well… we’re definitely in a better place than we were this morning.”

“Yeah…?”

He smiles, hugging your waist. “Yeah. He mentioned a couple of new projects coming for him. He’s doing pretty well, work wise.”

“Yeah, he looked ok.” You pause, taking a deep breath. “I hope you weren’t mad at me for going to him. I just wanted this whole thing to be out of the way, you know. It’s been forever since we last saw each other on good terms, and I know you missed him. I missed him too.”

A worried look stays on Bobby’s face. “You missed him?”

“Bobby. I can’t do the ice-lollie’s voice! It’s between you and the gorilla boy. I simply can’t.” you throw your arms, playfully, but stop as you see a grimace on Bobby’s face.

He exhales sharply from his mouth, rubbing his brows, taking the hairs out of formation. “Lass… I gotta confess something to you.” He gestures for you to take a seat on the bed. Facing you, he takes your hands with a sad expression. “I-I…” he stammers, trying to pick up the words, but is unable to do it.

“Bobby… what is it?”

“W-well… it’s been… ok. During the first couple of months we were out of the villa, I didn’t wanna see anyone. Neither of the lads or the girls. I wanted to enjoy that time with you.”

“Ok… fair.”

“When we started the whole marathon for the McKenzie’, I… I was happy. I really was. It was something we were doing together, and nothing could’ve made me happier. Until we went to the Reunion.”

He trails off, staring at your legs, crossed in front of him. “I talked to Gary. Not much. We didn’t exactly stay talking, and when someone left us alone, well… we came up with excuses to not be in the same place, together.”

“Oh…?” you cradle your head in your hands, letting go of his. “Is this my fa…?”

“Please, don’t even finish the sentence. Like Gary told you back then, I’m telling you now. It’s nobody’s fault. We were all friends, he fell for you and stayed away. And at some degree, I appreciate him doing that.”

“You do?” a crease forms between your brows as you continue listening to him.

“Yeah… when you mentioned he was always in London, I was jealous. You know that.” He gestures to himself, referring to the first night you spent outside of the Villa.

“Right.”

“When he never called, I figured it out before he said anything. And I sort of… panicked.”

“You panicked because he didn’t call?” you narrow your eyes, trying to understand.

“No… I panicked because I was scared.”

“Scared?”

“Scared.”

“Ok.” You wave your palms in the air with resolution, trying to find the connection between the dots, but it escapes your logic, completely. Your voice comes out as you blink slowly. “What?”

“I was scared of you…” he nods to the side, taking forever to continue his sentence as you keep searching for an answer in his eyes. “I was scared that you… and Gary…”

Realization dawns on you, fast, making you facepalm with a glowing intensity. “Oh, my gosh! No!”

Bobby tilts his head forward, following your moves as you continue the trail of thought, a confused, but relieved look, spreading on his face.

“No! Of course not! Gary is my friend, babe. Only that…”

“But… he’s…” Bobby closes his fists and flex his arms, furrowing his brows as he perches his lips, growling.

“He’s what? A caveman?”

“No!” he chuckles, repeating his impression. “You know… strong…”

“So, the fuck what?” you stare at him, blinking.

“So… he’s… fit…”

“I’m sorry. Is this you, telling me you were jealous or that you are interested in him?”

“Oh, shut up!” he pushes you to the bed, hiding a bashful smile.

“Seriously. I get it, Bobby. Gary is attractive. But, please don’t do this to yourself. Don’t compare yourself to Gary… or any guy for that matter.”

“But…” he again, does his caveman impression.

“Ok. Let’s put this into words. Gary and I had a conversation, a long time ago, about boys’ bodies and standards and all that crap! At some point, we both agreed on both sides having to… you know… conform. And somehow get the perfect body.” You cross your legs, biting your lip before continuing. “Thing is… every guy is different. I’m not saying he’s not attractive or anything, but I’m not attracted to him. I really am not. If you think I was, at some point, considering being with him, you were wrong.”

Bobby’s eyes go wide with a hint of innocence. “I was?”

“Yes. Gary is a great guy, and a great friend, but I fell in love with you. I know you might feel insecure, for some reason, about your body, like we all do… but I don’t want you to think my love for you is gonna end because of how you look…”

He nods, fiddling with his fingers. “Right.”

“I mean it. I-I know you think of yourself as someone who might not look good at all times, but honestly… all thirsty DM’s you get beg to differ!” he laughs. “I mean… I don’t know why you doubt your external beauty. It’s all over you, you know?”

You graze your palm on his chest with a light touch, placing it on his heart. “I don’t wanna sound cheesy here, but… every single freckle… and every single curve… I don’t know who told you you’re not gorgeous, but they were terribly mistaken and need to get their arse kicked!”

He tilts his head back, a little more relaxed. His chuckle lures one from your lips. “Lass…”

“I just… I wanna be able to make you feel as beautiful as you make me feel. You don’t have reason to doubt my feelings for you, and you don’t need to worry about your appearance or what you think you look like.” You cup his cheek, feeling the warmth of his skin as he rests it on your palm. “You’re gorgeous. Everything, every inch of your body is gorgeous. And every word that comes out of your mouth makes me love you more, every single day.”

His misty eyes look at you, fondly. You pull him into a hug, patting his shoulder as he stays on the crook of your neck, his chest rising and falling, rapidly. “Thank you, Lass.”

“You shouldn’t thank me, babe.” You pull away, wiping under his eyes with your fingers. “You should listen. And you don’t have to pretend with me. I’m about to be your wife… we need to be honest at all times.”

“I know…”

“I don’t want you walking around, not knowing how much you’re worth. And thinking at any moment, some guy might steal me. That’s not gonna happen. I love you. So much.”

Bobby exhales slowly, recomposing as he shakes it off, coyly hugging your waist, only to tackle you on the bed, pinning you on the mattress. You speak under him, with a muttered voice. “I see you’re recovered…”

“Well. Yeah!” he shoots you a caring look. “Thank you for this.”

“You’re welcome. Now get off! I know what you’re doing.” You glance at him with a knowing nod.

“You’re supposed to be resting, Lass!”

“Bobby… I said I’m fine. I can’t stay in bed anymore.”

“At least, just… I don’t know… erm…” he trails off, laughing awkwardly. “Stay in bed.”

“I’m really ok now. And I have to answer a couple of emails. I’ve seen them coming in before I collapsed, back in Chatham.”

“Work? Right now?”

“No… it’s…” you bite your lip from grinning. “It’s Miranda’s suggestions for my dr…” you cut yourself short with a smirk.

“For what?”

“For my dress…”

“Oh…” A glowing grin spreads across Bobby’s lips and his eyes glow with it. “Your dress… I didn’t even think about it before.”

“Well… I was between a dress or a different outfit, but this is… you know… this is what I picture myself for our day.”

“Oof…” he looks at you, head to toe, taken aback. “Now I can, too, Lass…”

You smile at him, taking his hand as he pulls your waist to stay closer. “Bobby… you’re blushing…”

“Am I?” he touches his cheeks, trying to lower the temperature of his face.

“Yes. You are blushing…” you grin, pulling him to rest your foreheads together, brushing your noses lightly.

“I can’t wait… you’re gonna be the most beautiful bride ever.” He avoids your eyes, but you catch a glimpse of a tear.

“Are you crying? Are you giving up on me already, McKenzie?!”

“Ha! Funny. Hilarious. Nah, I’m just like… picturing you.”

“Yeah? Well… that’s all you’re gonna do. Picture. Because I won’t be showing you the dress anytime soon.”

“You mean I don’t get to know your outfit until a couple of weeks from now?” he stops his caressing on your knees.

“It’s tradition not to show each other, but that’s not why I decided to keep it a secret.”

“So, why?”

“Well… because I remember your outfit, from the prom… and I don’t wanna imagine what you’re gonna arrive in, at the venue.”

Bobby tosses his head forward, his chest vibrating with a hearty laugh. “I’ll have you know my outfit is brilliant, ok?!”

“Even worse! If you’re wearing sequins, we would be competing for the attention, and I would rather have the disappointment at the ceremony.”

“I didn’t mean brilliant, literally…!”

“With you, I never know.” You shrug, getting up from the bed, but Bobby gets a grip of your hips, pulling you to fall on top of him, your back on his chest. You giggle as his agile fingers dig your sides, searching for your most sensitive spots, tickling you.

“Please!” you slap his arms, stopping him from continuing the attack, placing your head on the crook of his collarbone, sighing.

You can feel his breath close to your ear as he settles in, hugging you. “So, we’re keeping it a secret? Both of us?” he says, in a low voice.

“Yes.”

He laments. “Alright. But I’m agreeing under protest. I really wanna see you in your outfit… whatever you pick.”

“That’s ok. I wanna see yours too… but I think this is for the best…”

“Right... along with us, not sleeping in the same bed?”

“Yeah! Admit it, you miss me! And our honeymoon is gonna be more special!”

“First… I miss you at all times!” he raises his brows with a suggestive undertone. “Second… well… that’s it.”

You extend your hand for him to shake. “You’ll see. This is gonna be awesome.”

“But…” he grazes his palm on the bedsheet with a grin. “You… and me…”

“Yeah, I know! On our honeymoon, in your favorite place from all time! Just imagine…”

“I can’t... I’m a breeze away from having a serious problem.” He looks down at his pants, chuckling.

“Right… well. Gotta go.”

You wave over your shoulder, leaving Bobby alone. He lies back, rubbing his face. “Oof…”


	14. All choices

Chelsea holds a glass of bubbly, waiting for you to come out of the changing room and Priya tops up the glass, giggling, crossing her legs and propping on one hand.

They have been sitting in front of the doors, appreciating the view of you coming out, each time with a different cut or color. It’s not exactly hard, once you do it, sitting on a comfortable ottoman, surrounded by fuzzy throw pillows.

“Oh! I can’t believe these two are getting married!” Chelsea takes a gulp of her drink.

“It’s so cute… did you see the…?” she gestures with her ring finger. “I mean… hello, Mr. McKenzie!”

“I can hear you two!” you exclaim from the changing room, adjusting the bottom of your dress, spinning in place to watch it flow.

“Girl! I’m just saying what we’re all thinking!”

“Right…!”

You look yourself in the mirror. An insistent tear creeping on the corner of your eye as you take a deep breath, to admire yourself. It’s perfect. This is the perfect dress. The one you always imagined when you thought about your wedding.

As you open the door, it slowly swings forward. Priya and Chelsea perk up, to see you. They immediately have tears in her eyes, mouths hanging open.

“Oh, my god…” Chelsea fans herself.

“Oh, my days…” Priya fans Chelsea.

“Oh, you guys!” you fan both of them, as they give you a quick hug before taking a couple of steps back, admiring your outfit.

“You look… so… oh… I can’t speak!” Chelsea puts her bubbly down, taken aback by your curves and your smile, still fanning her tears away. “I can’t believe someone could look so fit in a wedding dress!”

“Girl… just…” Priya twirls her finger, smirking as she looks at you, head to toe. “Give us a turn, because you look absolutely amazing!”

“You think?” you say in a hopeful tone, staring at both of your friends.

“I mean… fifth is definitely a charm. You look so…” Chelsea can’t speak, choking on her tears. “I’m sorry… I’m so… argh! You look so good!” She hugs you tightly, resting her cheek on your shoulder. “You’re so gorge already, but in this? You look like you’ve been dropped from Heaven!”

“Ah! I just can’t cope!” Priya gives you a second hug, joining Chelsea.

“Thank you! And I really think this is the perfect size.” Chelsea and Priya pull away, giving you the space to admire yourself. You slide your palms, looking at the mirror nearby, every inch of the dress hugging your body, just like you imagined.

“Yay!” Chelsea grabs her glass and a third one, offering it to you.

“Thank you for coming with me. I wanted to do this earlier, but… I don’t know… it wouldn’t feel right without you two here. Plus, the one I got at home wasn’t really my style.”

“So…” Chelsea leans in, whispering. “Is this one… £20.000 too?”

You nod with a grin. “Yep.”

“Oh, my days…” she fans herself again, chuckling at you and Priya. “Well… we’re happy to be here! And that we don’t have to give you the dress!”

You snort in response. “Yeah! It means a lot that you both would come so far, just to be here, for me.”

“Oh, hun, anytime! Especially now that Alvaro and Andrew are “buddies”.” Priya rolls her eyes.

“Are you serious?”

“Argh… don’t remind me… they spend so much time together, Alvaro is teaching him how to paint.”

You tilt your head to the side, staring at them. “Oh, come on… that’s cute. They’re friends!”

“Well… yeah.” Priya and Chelsea share a look, and Chelsea sips the champagne. “It’s just… too much sometimes… too many internal jokes… you know?”

“Yeah, it can be irritating.” Priya takes a seat, gulping her bubbly. “Besides… this is gonna be even worse now.”

“Why?” you take a seat next to her, followed by Chelsea.

“Because Chelsea lives nearby now. And I’m moving here… but he said…” she pauses to lick her lips with a sigh. “He wants to move in together…”

Your jaw and Chelsea’s drop, hanging open as you try to find the words, unable to speak up after the news. She continues with an unsure tone to her voice. “Yeah. He wants to move in together.”

“Wh… h-how… when?”

“About a week ago. We were in bed, after dinner, and he said he always wanted to live in London… with the right person.”

Chelsea shuts her eyes, visibly excited. “Oh, my days, Priya!!” she hugs her excessively and you join in.

“Ok…ok! Enough!”

You look at her, taken aback. “Are you alright? I mean… it looks like you’re telling us about his pet turtle that just learned a new trick! You wanna move in with him, right?”

“Well…” Priya circles the rim of her glass with her index finger, looking pensive. Sighing, she crosses her legs. “It’s just… it’s going so well… I’m afraid a big step like that might ruin it.”

“Why?!” you and Chelsea say in unison, sharing a look as you grin at each other.

“I’m very particular about my things! Everything needs to stay where they are… and he paints… think about my marble table… or my…”

“Ok.” you raise your hands, cutting Priya short. “The only thing I’m hearing is “I’m scared as hell of pushing him away because I don’t know if I’m ready”.”

“Damn!” Chelsea cocks her head, staring at you and Priya in turns as you exchange words.

“Hey! No… I just… I’m very particular about certain things…”

“Like relationships.”

“Ok… no need for cheap shots here!”

“I’m not… hey.” You take her glass, doggedly placing it on the coffee table, then involves her hands in yours, lacing your fingers together. “Priya… the first time we talked about relationships was basically you, saying you can never commit, right?”

“Yeah…”

“Did you ever think why?”

“What do you mean?”

“Did you ever think maybe… maybe… you don’t wanna commit at all? And that’s why you push guys away.” You raise your brows at her, giving her well-manicured hands a supportive squeeze.

She ponders, rolling her eyes with a tired sigh. “But I love him. I do… and I just… why can’t I imagine a life with him?”

“Have you ever talked to him about this?” Chelsea scoots closer and you take her hand to join Priya's. “About you and him, as a couple.”

“Well… he’s more than happy to be with me, and I’ll say this. I am happy right now. But how long is it gonna last?” Priya’s voice accelerates with every sentence. “Is he supposed to be the guy I’m gonna spend the rest of my life with? Is he gonna be the father of my children? Do I wanna have children? Is it gonna take long? Do I need assurance? If I decide to have children, is he gonna leave me?”

Chels shakes her head in confusion. “Ok… Priya… breathe.”

“Yeah. Look… if you have so many questions in your head, why not try and talk to him?”

“I might scare the poor lad away!”

“So, do it!” Chelsea throws a dismissive hand with a scoff, shrugging. “If he gets scared because his girlfriend wants to talk about the future, then… why is he in a serious relationship in the first place?”

“True… Priya… come on… deep down, you know what to do and what to say. Don’t delay anything, just talk to him. Tell him how you feel, and he’ll tell you how he feels.” You pause, searching for her eyes. “Isn’t it better to know?”

“Yeah, there’s a reason why I haven’t talked to him yet… I’m not sure about how I feel.”

“Then take some time, girl!” Chelsea tops Priya’s glass, looking at her as she does. “There’s nothing wrong with taking a break to think things through.”

“Yes. And if Álvaro wants you to be happy, he’ll understand, right?” you offer her glass with a solidary look, Chelsea following your lead.

After a moment staring at the ground, Priya looks at both of you in turns, taking the swigging the whole champagne from her glass, shaking her head. “Oh, look at me… stealing your thunder!”

“Hey! Don’t you dare saying that... We rarely see each other, and until the three of us are here, in London… well… we need to talk during our visits. Doesn’t matter what they are.” you take a strand of her hair, putting it behind her ear. “We’re best friends here, and we’ll always listen to each other, and try to help.”

Chelsea pulls you both into a hug, patting Priya’s shoulder reassuringly.

“I’m just not used to this. Having friends that care.” She pulls away, her hands on yours and Chelsea’s shoulder. “Thank you, guys…” her eyes roam and end up on her wrist. “Oh, my gosh! Let’s forget that for a second, because you need to go see Miranda, for the cake test.”

“Oh! Right!” You rush into the dressing room, taking off the dress, hanging it on the hook and zipping up the case. You put your clothes back on, hurriedly, almost getting your hair caught in the zipper of your jacket.

After a couple of minutes gone by, when trying to hastily put your shoes on, you hear Bobby’s voice on the other side of the door. “Lass?”

“In a minute!” You finish up, opening the door, to find Bobby beaming at you. “What are you doing here?”

“Aren’t we supposed to eat some… cake?”

“Oh… I thought you were gonna meet me there… hi.” You open your arms, to give him a hug. He responds with a grin, as he brushes his lips on yours.

You turn around, handing the dress case to the young clerk. “This is the one. The perfect size and perfect cut.”

“Alright. You need to come here next Friday, for the last fitting.” The woman opens a big leathery book, scheduling your name and appointment. “Is 3 o’clock good for you?”

“Perfect. Thank you.”

The four of you step outside, sun peaking on the sky. You hand Miranda’s indication for their dresses to the girls. “They only carry the model I want in this specific store.” You jab your finger on the card. “And she said we can all go together… but…”

“Hun, don’t worry. We’ll send you pictures for your approval!” Priya gives your cheeks air kisses.

“Yeah, we’re gonna meet the boys, now, for lunch, but we’ll swing by the store later, and then, shower you with gorge pics from us!” Chelsea shimmies, excitedly smiling at you and Bobby.

“Alright! Oh, you guys are gonna look so beautiful!” your eyes gleam, as you say your goodbyes, Bobby following your lead, hugging the girls as well.

“I have no idea what you guys are talking about, but it doesn’t matter, because I’m excited!” he says, pulling away from a double hug with Priya and Chels.

“Don’t worry you pretty little head, Bobbs!” Chelsea pats his shoulder, following Priya to the opposite side of the street, leaving you and him, to drive away, towards the caterer headquarters, to meet Miranda.

\--

“Ok, darlings! Here we have the options! First things first!”

Bobby’s voice drops to a whisper as he leans in. “Wow, she’s really electric in person, huh?”

“Shh…” you stifle a laugh, following Miranda’s moves as she never stops talking, dropping a big book in front of you, with all the options she’s carrying. Her perky voice sounds even louder in an empty venue. “Good grace! Ok! Now we need to take care of this! And you guys will make a lot of choices! So, shall we begin?”

“Wait, I thought this was for the cake…” Bobby looks at you, confused.

“Oh… it’ll be… don’t worry.” You give him a cheeky wink, turning your attention to Miranda.

“Alriiight!” Miranda’s voice vibrates in a perfect sustained note. “These are the flowers! I’m gonna throw a bunch of pictures, and you’re gonna choose the one that catches your eye, any questions?”

Bobby motions to raise his hand, but you hold his wrist, shaking your head, mouthing “no point”. He lowers his arm, deflated.

“Are we ready?” Miranda talks animatedly, dumping a handful of flower pictures, spreading them across the table, in front of you. You and Bobby tap different options, each.

“Oh, my days!” she claps enthusiastically. “These are complimentary, so we’re good!” Miranda scoops the pictures, now distributing wedding themes across the surface. You and Bobby tap the same picture, surprised as you share a look with wild eyes. “Ooh! Nice choice! Very perky and happy! Next!” she shimmies with high energy, putting the choices in a separate pile, her assistant picking up the rest.

Bobby’s voice, or yours, never gives grace as Miranda continues to display stacks of options on the table. “We’re heading to colooooours…” another high note escapes her thin, red lips as she picks up an envelope, your chosen theme written on it. She opens it with a flourish, letting its content fall to the table, in front of you. “Alright! Choose, my darlings!”

Somehow, Miranda seems to be the perfect balance between Phyllis from American version of the TV show “The Office”, as looks go, but with a pinch of good witch, like the Fairy Godmother, from “Cinderella”. Her high pitches are in harmony, and from time to time, you can’t help a chuckle as she sings the options she brought. Bobby is mesmerized by the lively ways of how she works and makes the decisions.

He looks, carefully, at a couple of pictures, cupping his own chin, pensively.

“Go with your gut, sweetie!” she throws her hands, her bracelets producing a chiming sound.

“Yeah… I-I can’t choose… what do you think, Lass?” he lifts both options, in hopes that you would break the tie.

“Well… I like both of them… could we mix and match, maybe?” you look at your wedding planner with a pensive shrug.

Miranda cocks her head to look at the color schemes, pondering as she hums a knowing melody. For a long moment, you and Bobby share a look, curiously watching as her process happens.

After a couple of moments, staring at the other choices you’ve made, she turns to the color samples, rearranging the strips in two new, different groups. Bobby’s face lights up. “That’s it! That’s what I want! That’s perfect…” he gestures to the table, tilting his head to see the tones combined, impressed.

“Darling… I’m Miranda… nice to meet you.” She says in a condescending tone, offering her pale, wrinkly, but very well-manicured hand.

“Yes, you are!” He fist-bumps her, an outraged tone coming from her, but soon, she smiles, putting away every pick, in order of importance.

After a few rounds of selecting, finally you get to the choice between band or DJ, and you start the conversation. “So… if we go with a DJ, we already have someone… and he’s really good!”

“Yes, but we also have a band.” Bobby bites his lip, enthusiastically.

“Wait, are you saying you don’t want Kassam playing at our wedding?”

“Like I said…” he shrugs, carefree. “We have a band.”

“Erm… what’s that word? Oh yeah… no.”

“Oh, come on… it would be fun!”

“Really? Fun?”

“Yes…” Bobby gazes at an empty space in front of him, dreamily gesturing as his words come out, in a pitching tone. “Just imagine… Paisley Cuddle returns to stage for one last, epic performance…”

You observe, with your tongue pressed on your bottom lip, narrowing your eyes, trying to follow his vision. As he turns to face you, you respond with a sensitive tone of voice. “Bobby… I love you… I do… but I don’t know…”

“Oh, Lass… come on! Paisley Cuddle is ready to get back!!”

“Ok, but that guy, Eric… he’s terrible! He sings like Chelsea cooks!!”

“He’s not that bad…” he nudges you.

“I don’t know… it’s our wedding… I don’t want some shrieky bloke singing like a seagull at our reception, while I have my first dance with you!”

“I can sing!” Bobby taps his chest, and as he sees a smirk, furiously growing on your lips, he regrets immediately. But before he can speak again, you turn to Miranda, with a grin.

“Band it is!!”

“Amazing, darlings!” She claps, putting everything away, then adjusting the tablecloth and gesturing for the waiters to bring your cake options. Bobby’s face still seems drained.

“Everything ok, Bobby?”

“What? Yeah… of course…”

“Greaaaaaat!” you imitate Miranda’s pitch, clapping enthusiastically. “I can’t believe you’re gonna sing at our wedding, babe!” You tap his shoulder, clearly pleased, letting him even more confused than before.

He narrows his eyes, staring at you, and finally, realization dawns on him. “You tricked me!”

You nod in response, just in time the cake options arrive. Miranda’s assistant coordinates the waiters as they bring the plates, various flavors with name tags all spread across the big table. Your eyes fall on a couple of flavors, and you shake your head. “Erm… cotton candy? No…” you and Bobby say in unison.

“Fair…” Miranda puts it aside.

“Yeah, it’s too sweet. What about this one, Lass? Honey bread.”

“Hm… it’s good… but no. Miranda, you can eliminate these…” you pass the plates to her side.

“And these. Aaand… these.” Bobby slips a few of plates as well, to the non-choices side.

“Perfection! Let’s continue looking!”

“Hm, triple chocolate… salted caramel with chocolate truffle… damn… let’s taste this one…” Bobby takes a forkful of the triple chocolate, offering it to you. As you take it in your mouth, the half bitter ganache melts in your tongue, as you feel the moist crumbs of cake mix themselves with the milk chocolate. A perfect synchrony of flavors as you hum with satisfaction, stealing another forkful from Bobby’s lips.

“Wow… you like this one?” Bobby offers you a third bite, a sarcastic tone to his voice.

“I’ll tell you what… this is… oh my god!” you grab your chest, feeling the chocolates mixing again. “This is a strong competitor!”

“Alright.” he raises his brows, grinning.

After a few tastes, you only got three options left. Bobby’s eyes run on the remaining pieces. “I think we can agree the triple chocolate was perfect… what do you think, Lass?”

“Hm… hell yeah, can I have more?” You perch your head, searching for the platter.

“Oh, hun, sorry, it’s all gone.” Miranda frowns.

“Oh, it’s fine… you can make one for me, right babe?” you touch Bobby’s hand.

“Yeah…” he looks at you confused. “Of… of course… I can… make one for you…”

“Great. I think we’re settled then… all the choices are made.” you shrug, looking at Miranda.

“Absolutely! We’re gonna have everything done with all the changes!” she winks at you in a cheekily manner.

“Wait… changes?” Bobby is hazed as he turns to see Miranda smirking at you.

“Yeah…” you gesture to the table. “I’ve chosen all this already… we just wanted to make sure you liked it… like… really liked it! Without sucking up to me!”

“Oh… hey, you played me!”

“Yeah.” you shrug again, getting up from your chair.

“Darlings… really productive. The venue for the rehearsal will be ready by the end of the week. As for your outfits, my assistant will be picking them up after the last fitting. The only thing you need to worry about is…” she flows her hands like the wind as she finishes the thought. “Relaaax…”

“You sure about that?” Bobby’s eyes wide, he nods at you as you search more cake.

“Hey… I saw that!”

“Sorry.” He and Miranda exchange a look. He shakes hands with her, before luring you to follow him to the car. Miranda waves you both as you step out of the establishment.

“I’m hungry!” you touch your stomach, feeling a growl vibrate under your shirt. “And I’m hot! But mostly hungry!”

“Well, according to you, I’ll be making triple chocolate cake… tonight.” He forces a grin. “How fun!”

“No one is making you, Bobby!” you scoff, turning your back to head to the car.

“I’m not saying you are…”

“Then why saying it like that? That’s mean!”

“I’m sorry, Lass. I didn’t mean to.” He goes to hug you, but you shrug him off, frowning.

“I’m gonna go home. Alone!”

You start walking towards the opposite direction, reaching the corner. For a moment, you forget where exactly you’re heading to.

“Lass…!” he cups his mouth to shout, as you stop, confused. “Come back! Your car is here!”

You turn on your heel, realizing he is right. Your car is parked right next to him, and he leans against the door, folding his arms. He nods at you as you get closer, feeling the hunger take you. “Are you ok?”

You shake your head, another rumble resonating from your stomach, fueling Bobby to open the door, and drive away. “You’re getting a cake, after that.” He points to your shirt. “What is that? Nessie!?”

You roll your eyes, but can’t help chuckling, buckling up. “Yeah, now that you know the danger of leaving me hungry, you’re making jokes.”

He starts the car, with a grin. “What can I say…? Gotta keep my Nessie fed!”

\--


	15. The wedding day

“Maybe we could, like, find some kind of compromise. I know it’s early, so it’s cool if you’re not ready to talk about this. But what would you think about maybe moving in together? I’m always the first one to jump into big commitments like that, so maybe I’m being too hasty. But I can’t help it. I want as much of you in my life as possible.”

Those words resonate in your mind, as you remember the days and nights you spent with him. Playing in a sequel, you remember a new, different day. Bobby’s agitated voice towards you, and him, mid tears. “Are you serious, Lass?! Are you actually serious?!”

He said, his voice in a distressed tone, as he paced around the room. “I can’t believe you’d do that. You realize how much this affects both of us, right?!”

You can’t help but tear up, feeling your heart thumping as your memories swirl in front of your eyes. “I need you to listen to me, Bobby!”

Your voice echoes in your head, as you close your eyes to live that moment once more. “You know how much you mean to me!!”

You take your hands to your face, starting to rub your temples, as you feel tears streaming down on the thin layer of foundation, lying on your skin. You don’t hold them back anymore, feeling as they roll to your chin, dripping on your collarbone.

The continuance of the memory comes after you sniff a couple of times, holding a plastic stick in your hand. “This is it. I can’t believe you’re letting this happen!” he said with a trembling voice. Bobby sat on the corner chair, hugging his knees and you could hear him crying. There were wet spots on the carpet. You noticed them as you approached him.

“I honestly didn’t think you’d do this. I really didn’t.”

You wipe your tears with the silky tip of a tissue, being careful to not disrupt your makeup, even more. Sitting down by the vanity, you watch yourself, trying to keep the tears in, but they’re insistent.

Grabbing the fancy fan Priya left on the surface, you wave it, hoping it will dry your wet cheeks. You have to hide the content in your hands, before someone walks in, so you open the last drawer, shoving it in there, along with the first one.

Retouching your under-eyes, you put on a brave face and get up from your seat. Turning the knob, taking one last look at the room, you take a deep breath, exhaling slowly. You’re ready to go.

The multiple noises down the hallway become louder and more agitated as you approach the next door. You put your hand on the knob, and a familiar voice comes behind you.

“You look…” As you turn, you see Noah with his hands in his pockets, beaming as he takes in the details of your dress. “You look amazing…” His eyes sparkle as he looks you up and down, shaking his head.

“You think so?” your gaze falls on his suit, a beautiful, deep navy-blue, followed by a white shirt and the tie in the same tone as the jacket. “You look great too… my god, you clean up pretty well!”

“Yeah… but let’s focus on you and the heart attack you’re gonna give the poor bloke!” You share a laugh as he offers his arm, for you to link yours. “Are you ready?”

You take another deep breath, feeling a couple of tears coming. “Oh my god… it’s a faucet! I can’t stop it!” you fan yourself, feeling your throat closing a bit.

“Here.” Noah takes an extra handkerchief from his pocket, offering it to you with a light amused chuckle. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you that emotional...”

“Well… you’ve never seen me getting married!”

“Point taken!”

You take it, drying the corner of your eyes, delicately. “Where are the girls?”

Noah nods to the door in front of you. “Right behind that door… just waiting for you.”

You exhale from your mouth for a long moment, the air coming out in brief puffs, due to your nerves. For the entire time you took to get ready, you felt emotional, but now it’s sinking in. You’re getting married. To Bobby. It seems somewhat surreal, but after the months of choices, planning, fittings and friends going back and forth, it’s finally happening.

The door slams open, Chelsea’s hands try to hold it in place, a light peach bouquet being crushed by her fingers as she gets a grip of the door. “Thought that was heavier!” she giggles as Priya rolls her eyes, shaking her head with a chuckle. She shares a look with Miranda, who opens her mouth with urgency, to speak, but cuts herself short as she lays her eyes on you. “You look…”

Before she can finish her sentence, Chelsea squeals loudly, catching everyone’s attention.

“Babes!” Priya takes a finger to her lips, shushing Chelsea with an intense motion.

“Sorry… it’s just… oh! You look so pretty! So gorge! I’m gonna cry!” she fans her eyes with her light pink manicured hands, and looks up, preventing tears from ruining her lashes.

“You’re gonna make me cry too, Chels! Help me! Tell me I look like I’m wearing your nan’s rags!”

“Ok…” she desperately looks for words, her cobalt eyes roaming on the floor as her mouth opens and closes, trying to find a way to stop you from being emotional. “You look terrible! This outfit is not at all complementary and your hair looks like shit!”

“Alright.” Priya rolls her eyes again. “I think that worked.” She points at you when she sees you laughing.

“I’m sorry… I didn’t mean any of it!”

“I know, Chels… just… oof! Ok… let’s get this going.”

Miranda raises her finger, catching your attention. Her perky and “ready to go” energy has turned into a “proud mom” as she tilts her head, perching her lips. She joins her palms together, placing them on her heart, on top of her purple and black dress. She stammers, finding it difficult to pronounce the words, and that’s the first time, since you met her a few months ago, that she’s speechless. “You look… oh my days… ok…” she presses her finger on her earpiece, suddenly her tone going from soft and caring, to determined and fierce, with a hint of worry. She yells back, at the other end, slamming her freckled fist on the wall behind her. “We need to find someone!”

A commotion on the outside startles you and your friends. Suddenly, the noise of several voices cut the air, as they open the doors, rushing others to the front entrance.

Noah ushers you in the room behind you, Chelsea and Priya, in tow.

“What’s going on…?” your eyes search for theirs, then roam on the others. Noah and Priya shrug, Chelsea perches her lips, but is not able to hold it in much longer. She was closer to Miranda, so she heard whatever was said to your wedding planner.

“The officiant collapsed!”

Your eyes go wide, jabbing the bouquet in her hands, then, you turn to Noah, gripping the lapels of his suit, eyes wider than never. “What – is – going – on?”

He hesitates, but Priya moves to the window, peeking through the blinds. You follow her lead, watching as a few men, Damerae included, conduct a very old and pink man into a car that drives away, almost immediately.

Miranda bursts through the door, desperately turning purple. She’s breathless, pausing with every word, holding both sides of the door frame. “Well… our… officiant… collapsed… and he… was taken… to the hospital…”. Noah offers her a seat, taking the earpiece and placing it on the bench next to her.

“is your assistant on the other side?” he points to it.

“Yes…”

You can’t feel the blood in your veins, your fluttering heart slows its beats, giving you a sense of faint and desperation as you stare at each one of them, in turns. “What… are we gonna do?!”

Miranda approaches you with caution, raising her hands. “We’re taking care of it!”

“You’re practically fainting, Miranda!!” you gesture to her seat as Chelsea and Priya fan the woman, in hopes she doesn’t collapse either.

She mumbles to herself, pacing the room. “Everyone is booked. Booked! For months! Months!!”

You lose rhythm of your breathing, trying to grasp the walls, to stay up. “Maybe you should…” Noah conducts you to the bed, showing you the edge so you take a seat. “I’ll be right back.” He points to Chelsea and Priya, talking through his teeth. “You two! Make - them – calm - down!”

The four of you are taken aback by Noah’s tone, regardless. “Damn…” Priya fans herself instead of Miranda, biting her bottom lip.

You raise a finger, getting up. “Don’t even think about it!”

“What…?!” she shrugs. “I wasn’t thinking anything!”

“You!” your finger hovers close to Miranda, a menacing look under your lashes. “I wanna see Momma turning into Momma Bear! Get a grip of yourself and go out there! I don’t care what you do, or who you bribe, or how much it’s gonna cost! You get me an officiant. And you get me an officiant, right now!” you stump your feet, an angry heat spreading across your cheeks.

The girls stare at you and Miranda, afraid of the results of your confrontation, but instead, she gets up, breathing hard and saluting you. “Ay, ay, captain!” she sprints from the bedroom, slamming the door behind her, her voice could be heard in the middle of a Villa party.

You grip both sides of your waist, walking around the room until Priya grabs your wrist, offering you a secret bottle of wine, hidden in the closet. As she sees your wondered gaze, she pops the cork, taking a gulp from the rim. “For emergencies, babes!”

You take a sip of the red, almost not being able to hold it in, to your lack of breath. Chelsea takes it next, surprisingly quiet. “Hey… what’s going on, Chels?”

“Hm…? Oh nothing.” She throws a dismissive hand, but Chelsea has always been a terrible liar.

“Nah, Barbie. Spill it out!” Priya nods at her with a frightening tone on her motions and voice. “Before I get it out of you!”

You and Priya share a look, cornering Chelsea, who guiltily gulps from the bottle, swallowing her wine, hard. As you approach, she caves, putting the bottle down. “Ok… ok.” She holds both arms, stopping you. “I know someone who’s ordained!”

You stare at Priya, then down, narrowing your eyes at your friend. “Why didn’t you tell us sooner?”

“Because… I don’t know how you would feel about it. And if he didn’t come to the wedding, I guess he doesn’t want it to happen…”

You sit next to her, raising the bottle, sipping continuously. “Who…?”

“Well…”

Just then, Noah bursts in the room, a pair of dressing shoes on tow. They open their mouths to speak, but stay quiet, watching you drink the rest of half a bottle in one swig, eyes shut with frustration. As you finish it, you let out a loud “Ah!”.

“Nice…” the boy raises a closed, pale fist for you to bump it with yours. You do it, before wiping your mouth with the back of your hand.

“Yeah… impressive… almost…” Noah trails off, shaking his head. Your eyes roam on the dressing shoes, going up, and you realize, Gary is there.

“Gary?!” you get up, bottle in hand. “You came…”

He smiles, relieved, opening his mouth to speak, but before he can, Noah cuts him short, with a wild smile. “Get a load of this!! He’s an officiant!!” he points to Gary, ruffling his blond strands.

“You are…?” you tilt your head forward, confused. “How…?”

Gary hesitates, looking down, before answering with a coy smile. “It was a while ago… long story…”

“Were you trying to impress a girl?” you gesture with a laugh.

He chuckles, nodding. “I guess not that long, then…” He rubs his brows. “Anyway… I got stuck at work! I’m sorry I’m late!” he looks at you, head to toe. “You look amazing, by the way.”

You slip your hands on the dress with a relieved sigh. “Yeah?”

“Impossible for you to even doubt it, mate! You’re gonna kill the poor lad…”

You can’t help a chuckle, followed by the others. “So… you’re an officiant…?”

Priya grips Noah and Chelsea, leading them out of the room. “How about we give them some time to talk?”

Turning back to face you, Gary takes a step closer, his hands in his pockets. “Erm… yeah. I am.”

You hesitate. Even though you feel things are much better, and possibly resolved, it would be too much to ask. His voice, comforting, cuts your thoughts as he starts speaking. “Look… I told Bobby this… and I’m telling you, now. I did feel like I had to stay away, at the time.” He exhales from his mouth with a smile. “Damn, I thought I wasn’t gonna cry about this!”

You sniff, holding in a couple of tears, as he does.

“Thing is, mate… I love Bobby. He was really comprehensive about the whole thing. He understood my reasons, and when we saw each other, after so long, he didn’t scowl… he didn’t make any weird eye contact or anything. He nodded at me.” Gary sits on the vanity stool, and you follow his lead, taking a seat in front of him, on the trunk by the door. “Bobby looked at me like someone who missed me. That day, when you went to Chatham, I didn’t wanna believe you two missed me. It was easier to stay away, thinking you hated my guts or couldn’t stand me anymore…”

“That was never true.” You narrow your eyes with a sad tone in your voice.

“And now I know that.” He clenches his jaw, trying to stop tears on the corners of his eyes. “It was easy to not call, because I made myself believe Bobby hated me for liking you. Deep down I knew it wasn’t true, but…”

He cradles his face in his hands, sobbing, losing track. “But I missed you so much! I missed Bobby, your stupid jokes, I missed his impressions…! Gary rubs his thumb on his eyes, his face turning a deep tone of claret. “I didn’t wanna…”

“Hey.” You grab his free hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “I know… and I know he felt the same. I did too. But…” you take a deep breath. “I’m happy you’re here. I guess that means you’re…” you vacillate. “Our friend again?”

He gets up, resolutely, wiping his eyes with the heel of his hand and then, grabbing a tissue, blowing his nose. “Today, I’m not only your friend. I’m your officiant. That is… if you want me to…”

“Gary… no. You don’t have to…”

“Yes. Yes, I do.” He raises his fingers as he speaks. “One, because you guys are my friends. Two, because I want to.” His sentence lures a smile from you as he tilts his head forward, watching you get up. “I just know Bobby is gonna take care of you. And you are gonna take care of him. You guys deserve a perfect day. And this is… this is nothing…”

“No, this is definitely something…” you throw your arms around Gary’s neck, startling him. “Thank you for this.”

He sways you from side to side, playfully going faster. “You’re welcome.” You two pull away, staring at each other with a sigh. “Now… let’s get you married…”

You nod, letting Gary open the door. The other three are waiting for you, along with Miranda, who bites her nails, unexpectedly stressed. As you walk towards the group, you direct your speech to Miranda. “We have an officiant …”

“Oh, yeah. Great.” Her tone couldn’t be more bored.

“Erm… problem solved… right?” you shoot your friends a look, confused.

“Yes… absolutely… solved.” Her earpiece stays on her closed fist, a few noises and a desperate voice coming from it.

You and Gary exchange a look, and he moves to place his hand on her shoulder. “Hey, ma’am… what’s happening?”

“He’s gone…”

Gary raises his eyes to you, perching his lips, then eyeing her with an expectant gaze. “Who?”

“The gr-groom… he’s gone.” She shrugs, leaning her head on the wall, sitting on the floor. “Poof! Gone!”

“What the hell do you mean, “gone”, Miranda?!” your throat closes again. She shrugs again, in response. You put a hand on your stomach, butterflies flowing freely as you lose your breath. “This can’t be happening…” Noah and Gary move to stay behind you, each holding one arm. “W-what… what do you mean… he’s gone?”

Her assistant bursts in through the front door, searching for her. “What do I do?!”

All of you turn to see Miranda, desolated as she turns her head slowly to you, repeating her motions. “Poof.”


	16. The groom is gone

You stare at the ground, lost for words or actions. The sudden thought of Bobby bailing on the wedding is inconceivable, but seemingly, that is the current situation of your ceremony.

A rush of possibilities floods your mind, and a million sorrowful thoughts cloud your judgement, not letting you look for an answer for his disappearance. Perhaps he was too nervous, or too upset. Besides family and friends’ matters, he has the restaurant, so pressure got to him, and he needed some time alone, right? At least that’s what you’re telling yourself, mumbling under your breath, without noticing.

Noah and Gary nod at each other, conducting you back to the room where the girls got ready, desperately calling out the others to join you. Priya opens her case, in search of a new bottle and Chelsea calls Andrew, her boyfriend, to search every square foot of the property, in hopes to find the groom.

“Already on it!” he and Álvaro have been circling the house, then the backyard, as Miranda’s assistant was keeping the rest of the guests in their places. You can hear Damerae’s voice in the back of the call. “Is there anything we can do?”

“No, everything is ok. Just, go back to your seat, Mr. McKenzie.”

“Andrew… for everything that is sacred, don’t let anyone know about anything. We have to take care of this, on our own!” Chelsea’s voice was determined as she tapped her foot on the floor. “I’m serious! Not even his parents, got it?”

“Absolutely, babe! We’ll be alert. Don’t worry, we won’t tell anyone.” He whispered close to his phone, hanging up right after.

The boys move to their own phones, calling their plus-ones, asking for help as Priya continues to scavenge her bags, in hopes to miraculously find another bottle, grunting with frustration as she doesn’t.

You see a blonde and peach blur pass on the corner of your eyes, moving to the window, as a delicate pair of hands dial a different number. Chelsea is trying the best she can to communicate with Bobby’s phone. No success.

All of your friends are distracted with their tasks, talking, pacing, throwing pieces of clothing up in the air, and they don’t even notice you walking out of the room, holding the bottom portion of your dress, stepping out of the house.

You need to breathe and the walls of the bedroom were closing on you, slowly, taking your breath away. How can so many disasters take place in one single hour? Such a beautiful, sunny day, chosen especially to commemorate the day you and Bobby met.

June 6, two years ago.

You remember being nervous, and after meeting the girls in the bedroom, you got the first, of many texts, warning you to go outside, to be the first to meet the boys.

“That’s it…” you thought to yourself. As soon as you strode out of the door, there they were. Four amazing boys, and Rocco. The first one to greet you, a hunky blonde guy, smiling goofily as you approached the line and stayed in front of them. “Alright?” he said, nodding casually, holding his shorts.

As your gaze roamed on the group, it stopped on the last boy standing. His eyes caught you off guard. You couldn’t help but smile widely at him, noticing his freckles, spread across his cheeks, chest, shoulders and thighs. The sun gleamed on his golden skin and he smiled back, almost right away. Impossible not to notice, and even more to look away.

His perky, raspy voice talked to you, for the first time, revealing a thick, heavy Glasgow accent. No doubt, he was indeed the dessert at the end of a course of beefcake.

It didn’t take you too long to realize how sweet and honest this boy was, and despite so many emotions going around, all the time in that place, you managed to stay together, and more importantly, kept choosing each other every chance you had.

“Everyone knows I have some difficulties to see anyone as more than a friend, but I reckon this babe could change that.” He said, before saying your name, at the firepit, on the first time the boys had the choice.

“That was sweet of you to say, babe.” You said, picking up a strand of his hair, sitting on the daybeds, under the stars, a few minutes later.

“And also, a lie…” he turned his head to face you, a timid smile growing on his lips. “I didn’t want the other girls to feel bad… I never had trouble seeing you as the girl for me.” Bobby draped his arm on your shoulder, bringing your temple to his lips, kissing it with a chuckle. “I don’t know how to explain… we just had that…” he searches for the word, his mouth mere inches from yours, your gazes locked.

“Attraction?” your eyes were glowing as his face ignited with excitement.

“So, you feel it too?” he smirked, still with his arm around your shoulder blades.

You nudged him, shaking your head with a grin that insisted on staying on your face, since you heard your name. “Something like that, yeah…”

Your eyes had met for over a million times, and yet, it always felt like the first.

You’re lost in your memories, eying the parking lot, in hopes to find your car, but instead, a knowing noise catches your attention, making your turn to the side and following it, cocking your head to search for the source.

Pebbles, hitting a concrete wall behind the valet cabin, continue to be thrown as you reach the spot. A black, shiny pair of varnish shoes drag the dirt as their owner buries his face in his knees, with a sigh.

“Bobby?” you tilt your torso forward, holding your hair in place.

He raises his head with wide eyes. “Lass?!” he immediately jumps from the curb, shoving something in his pocket, but you don’t notice.

“Bobby!” you stand in front of him, offering him a hand. He grabs it, hoisting himself up, looking at you with sad eyes.

“Lass… the officiant passed out… we don’t have a person to celebrate the wedding… I’m…”

“N-no…” you furrow your brows and start explaining the current situation, but then you remember, you’re mad at him! “Wait! What the fuck are you doing out here?! Everyone was sick and worried, looking for you!” you slap his forearm, shielding your eyes from the scolding sun.

“Ow!” he ruefully rubs his arm.

“Are you out of your mind?!” you continue to gesture wildly, pointing to the windows of the house, yelling your reasons to be out of control, but he’s not listening. He’s just standing in front of you, with a stupid smile. You cut yourself short, snapping your fingers in front of his eyes, to catch his attention. “Hey! I’m talking to you… I was worried!”

“I’m sorry…”

“You’re…” you stammer with disbelief. “Y-you’re “sorry”?! That’s it? You’re sorry!? I thought you ran away from our wedding and you’re fucking sorry?!” you slap his arms again, with a stronger conviction, cornering him with rage.

Bobby takes a couple of steps back, shielding himself from you. His gaze finds yours, noticing the tone of worry and sadness in your voice. “No… I didn’t mean it like that… I’m…” he licks his lips, lifting his hands to calm you down. “I was… anxious…”

You stop your attack, your mouth perching as you straight yourself up. “I was too… but I didn’t run!” you slap him once more.

“I didn’t either!” he throws his arms. “I just needed… I don’t know…” as he shifts in place, a plastic tip pokes out of his pocket. He shoves it in quickly, licking his lips. “I tried to call… people. You know. I even called G-Gary…” he chuckles sadly, tilting his head to the side.

“Yeah?” you lower your hands, your palms tingling from hitting his upper arms.

“Yeah. He was ordained a few months ago…” he smiles, a little more at ease, looking at the ground, wistfully. “He told me when he brought you back from Chatham… I just thought we were in a good place after that day, you know. Can’t believe he didn’t…” he trails off with a sad smile, scratching the back of his head.

“Erm… babe?” you lean forward, brows still furrowed. “Gary is here. He offered to officiate the wedding.”

Bobby’s eyes flicker in surprise. “He is?”

“Yeah! He was stuck at work and got here after the officiant passed out. Noah was getting him ready when you disappeared!”

“H-he was? They were?” He rolls his eyes, facepalming with defeat. “I’m such an arse!”

“Why?”

“Because… I was…” he rubs his forehead. “I don’t know. It felt like…” he hesitates, cradling his face in his hands. “It felt like it wasn’t supposed to happen today…”

“Excuse me?!” you cut him short, taking a step back with wide eyes.

Bobby realizes the gravity of his words, raising both hands, defensively. “No, no! That’s not what I meant! I didn’t mean anything about the wedding!”

“Then what the hell did you mean!?” you grip your waist, flares coming out of your nostrils.

“I meant… you know… the ceremony! That’s what I meant!”

“I-I don’t… I don’t get it! What in the world are you talking about!?”

“Well… you know like when sometimes people say they see signs in things that happen…?”

“Are you Lottie-ing your way out of this?! Is that what you’re doing?!” you take another step back, eyes narrowed, holding yourself from slapping him again.

“No! God, no!” Bobby puffs through his mouth, rubbing his temples. “I’m not making myself clear… I just…” he motions a hand over the pocket of his jacket, but stops, shaking his head. He licks his lips, wincing. “I just… do you know how many things went wrong today?”

“I know a couple!” you look at him, knowingly, attitude pouring out in your voice.

“Right… I just figured if so many things were going wrong, maybe we should p-postpone…”

“P-post…”

You cut yourself short, gripping your own waist, biting your lip as your eyes get lost on the pebbles scattered on the ground. Tears grow on the corners of your eyes, tickling your lids and you count how many small rocks are around you, avoiding Bobby’s eyes, as if this is the most interesting ground you have ever seen.

An awkward silence hovers between you and even though Bobby motions to approach you, he stops, mid step. He opens his mouth to speak but can’t seem to find the right words, giving up on his attempts. With a sigh of defeat, you throw your arms, nodding.

“Ok… let’s p-postpone…”

“Wait… Lass. No!”

“I don’t know what the hell you’re doing, or what you want from me, Bobby!”

“I just… hold on.” He walks towards your car, grabbing the keys from his pocket. After a minute, he comes back, gripping a small object. As he stands in front of you, he sighs, biting his inner lip. “I was thinking that! And then…” he turns to gesture to your car. “Then I went in there, to take a breather, and… I saw the ring box in the glove compartment.”

You roll your eyes with annoyance. “Bobby… I don’t wanna rush you, but you better make your point, because…”

“Right! Anyway. My point is… I remembered that talk we had. Back at the office. You know… when we talked about my sister and… G-Gary…”

“Yeah?” you fold your arms, impatiently, squinting.

“I remembered you saying what your nan told you… “A wedding is just five minutes of the life you’re gonna share with someone”. And then, you went and talked about how our life as a married couple wouldn’t be ruined just because of the champagne or…” he scratches the back of his head. “… or the chicken being unsalted… or the footage being lost.”

Bobby swallows dry, holding the velvet box with an open palm. “I’m sorry I made you worry. It wasn’t me not wanting to get married. I didn’t panic, I just…”

“You’re just an idiot!”

He sighs with a defeated smile. “Yes.”

You bury your face in your hands as a succession of sighs escapes your lips. “Oh, my god! I thought you were gonna say you were having second thoughts about us…”

“No! No fucking way!” he blurts out his words, getting closer to you. “No! That’s not… oh my god! You thought I was running away!”

“Well…” you shrug. “Some people break under pressure. I mean, half of your family isn’t here, the flowers are drying, the officiant passed out, your sister never showed up, and Gary wasn’t here either… I thought you…” you raise your brows, throwing a dismissive hand. “I thought you were in Glasgow by now!”

You share an awkward laugh as Bobby takes your hand, holding them between his. “I-I… I’m so sorry. I didn’t want to cause this! I just… the only thing I thought about was… everyone going home and coming back tomorrow, with an officiant and cold flowers!”

“Right…”

“I mean it! The whole time I badgered Miranda over a perfect ceremony, I never thought about… you know… things going south, no matter what. It doesn’t matter how much you worry… it’s… out of our control, I guess.”

You exhale sharply from your mouth as he continues with a softer, calmer voice. “I’m really sorry. I didn’t wanna worry you…I…” his gaze falls on your dress, making Bobby take a couple of steps back. His eyes focus under furrowed brows and he smiles, goofily. “W-wow…”

“What…?” you follow his eyes, realizing he’s seeing your dress before the altar, immediately covering yourself. “No! You’re not supposed to see me!!”

“Lass…” he brushes his fingers on your forearms, moving them so he can see the whole picture. “I think it’s a little late for that…” His head shakes with a shudder as his lips grow a smile from ear to ear. The sun gleams on a couple of tears creeping on the corners of his eyes as he tries to speak, but instead, stammers to find the right words. “You look so…”

“Yeah…?”

He nods with a sharp exhale from his mouth as he grabs your hands again, making you twirl in place. You laugh for the entire twirl, and the next one, his words resonating with tenderness. “You look incredible…”

Trying to hide your face, you look away, covering your smile, but he cups your chin, talking in a reassuring tone. “You do… you look…” Bobby grabs his heart, still getting a hold of your hand, placing it on his chest. “I don’t think words can describe how I feel right now…” His heart thumps fast, luring a beaming smile from you as he sighs with joy, for the first time in the conversation.

“Don’t think you’re off the hook just yet!” you raise a finger, but his smile grows. “I mean it!”

“I know…” He holds your gaze for a long moment, admiring your makeup, carefully laid on your skin, the highlight of your cheeks delicately bouncing the sunlight, making your skin glow. “I was right…”

“About what?” you nod at him, once.

“About you… being the most beautiful bride ever.”

“Stop sucking up to me… it won’t work.”

“I’m not… I’m being sincere. You look gorgeous.” Bobby’s grin spreads on his lips as quick as he takes your hand, and you let him, reluctantly.

His eyes roam on your face and hairdo, luring a bashful smile and you shake your head, shoving him back. “Shut up.”

Just then, you notice, for the first time, what Bobby is wearing. A navy-blue toned kilt, in a light fabric, completed with a darker blazer, embracing a vest, a shirt and a tie, all in harmonious colors with his outfit. The sash has the same pattern of the bottoms, crossing his chest with refinement. He looks away, coyly avoiding your eyes, as if you were gonna do anything that isn’t adoring his dress code.

“You look so good, babe…” you wipe a couple of tears from under your eyes, smiling as you absorb the details along the plaid pattern on the bottoms, socks and sash. “Seriously… you look amazing!”

“I do?”

You nod, repeatedly, biting your lip from smiling. “You do… I was afraid you were gonna dress like the decorations…” you point to behind you, at the floral arrangements, and Bobby tosses his head back with a laugh.

“Nah, I’ll leave that to our children’s graduation!” he raises his brows, suggestively. “They’ll probably deserve it…”

“Deal… Scottish traditional dress for the wedding, Hawaiian drug dealer at graduation.”

He taps his nose, taking a couple of steps towards you, leaning in to rest his forehead on yours. His warm breath tickles your upper lip when he speaks. “I-I…”

Before he can continue his sentence, you hear footsteps just behind you. Priya, Chelsea and Gary, together, enter the parking lot and turn to the right, finding you and Bobby, holding hands.

“There you are!!” Priya approaches you, holding your wrists, letting Bobby hang. She then slaps Bobby multiple times on his arms, cornering him on the wall until Gary holds her back. She attempts a couple of kicks before you intervene.

“Priya! It’s ok! He was just looking for an officiant as well!” you graze your thumb on her palm, trying to calm her down, meeting her gaze. She stops, shrugging off from Gary’s trunky arms.

“Ok, I’m cool! I’m cool…” her hands slap Bobby once more, before she stops for good, lifting a finger and jabbing it on his chest. “Never do that again!” she talks through her teeth, showing the same menacing look from just a few minutes ago. “You better watch that slender back of yours, cupcake! If you move a toe out of line, I’ll be there to catch you!”

She stomps away, with Chelsea on tow, shooting you apologetic looks with squinted eyes. The boys look at each other, suddenly forgetting about Priya’s attack, with a grin, as they notice each other’s outfits.

“Hey… you’re wearing a suit.” Bobby points to the tie around Gary’s neck, in a Windsor knot.

“Hey… you’re wearing a… kilt?” Gary tilts his head, shrugging with a smile. “You look great, man.”

“You too.” They share a look of complicity, before bringing each other into a bear hug, swinging from side to side. “I’m glad you’re here, crane man!” Bobby ruffles his blonde hair with a chuckle.

“Hey! Don’t touch the hair, bruv! The officiant needs to be looking good for the ceremony!” he adjusts his blonde streaks, putting them back in place, now ruffling Bobby’s kilt with a laugh. “You, on the other hand…”

Your fiancée twirls in place, striking a pose for yours and Gary’s amusement. He then recomposes, nudging his friend with a hopeful voice. “So… you’re gonna officiate?”

Gary nods with a smiley, perched lip. He mumbles his answer, stepping away, giving you space to stand next to Bobby. “Of course.” He squints, avoiding the sunlight, now walking backwards, tapping his watch. “And hurry up! We need to start!”

“Alright…” as he leaves, Bobby lifts your hand, brushing his lips on your knuckles. “Go… you need to mesmerize everyone…”

“That I can do… are you alright?” He nods, silently, letting go of your hands so you can follow your new officiant. “Are you sure you’re gonna be there for me?”

Bobby lets out an embarrassed laugh, looking down for a moment. “I promise I will…”

You walk away, shooting him a wink, before disappearing behind the concrete wall, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

He picks something up from his pocket, taking one last look, beaming at the object.

“I’m more than alright.”


	17. The ceremony

In front of the door, in position, is Chelsea and Andrew, Priya and Álvaro and you and Noah, linking arms. Miranda, back in her element, gives the nod to each of the couples to go, following the path towards Bobby, in front of the arch.

Noah glances down at you, taking a deep breath. “Are you ready… again?” you look up at him, nodding with confidence. “Then let’s go.”

The door to the outside opens, and you both coordinate your pacing, finding synchrony as you advance from the doorstep. The freshly cut grass scent emanates from the ground, the sun beaming on the lively green under the chairs.

The people around get up as the song starts, coming from the corner, where the string quartet plays it, all smiles as they see you advancing. Bobby turns to watch you as you walk forward, the bottom of your dress fluttering gracefully with the afternoon breeze.

As you walk by the guests, the colorful features catch your eye. On every end, floral arrangements are set, peach and white flowers rise from the rims of tall, ceramic vases, on the ends of each row, contrasting with the light emerald grass.

You raise your eyes to see Bobby’s, locking with yours, as you and Noah follow the rhythm of the song. Handkerchiefs and tissues are whipped out of pockets and purses. Noah smiles gently as you reach the altar, a square wood structure, gently covered with a soft, translucent peach fabric, the corners decked with blossoms from the same species in the vases.

As you stop, smiling at Bobby, Noah leans in, lightly kissing your forehead. “Good luck.”

“Thank you.”

He joins your fiancée’s side and you beam at the formation of your friends, and you, in front of the guests. Chelsea and Priya on your side, wearing the matching colored and flowy dresses, waving at you with large grins on their lips, and thick tears on their lashes. Noah, Andrew and Álvaro on Bobby’s side, all wearing the same navy-blue suit, hands joined in front of their bodies, pretending there’s not a single tear creeping on their eyes.

As for Gary, he shoots you a sincere smile as you and Bobby join hands, under his command. “Good afternoon.” The guests respond, but you can’t hear it. It’s hard to focus on the ceremony when Bobby steals your attention, as his thumbs graze the back of your hands, and his smile, highly contagious.

Gary’s words about love, involvement and compromising in a relationship, lures tears from Aileen and Damerae, on the front row. They can’t help but be emotional, shaking their heads as they see their son getting married.

Gary’s thick voice echoes around the ambiance, hooking everyone’s attention as he goes on with the ceremony. “Love can’t be measured or planned. It grows with time, and it blooms from trust, the sense of caring, and sometimes, like in your case…” Gary looks at you and Bobby with a raised brow. “At first sight.”

The guests smile and a few sniffs are audible from where you stand. He winks at you and Bobby, proceeding with his words. “Bobby, do you have your vows?”

Noah hands him a small piece of paper, and he takes it with trembling hands. You notice his nerves, lifting your hand to give him a heartening squeeze on the upper arm of his blazer, shooting him an encouraging grin. He nods, taking a deep breath and unfolding the leaf, to read from.

“When I went to this show, you know the one…” he takes a look around, to deliver his first joke, hearing a light chuckle. “I was nervous to even step in that place. We all met through that season, and we had many, many great moments together.” He winks at you, whispering “slime challenge”, making you laugh. “After a few days went by, I realized there were a lot of moments that I kept close to my heart… and the only thing they have in common... is you.”

You grin, tilting your head as he continues. “It wasn’t a possibility in my head, to meet the perfect girl, in a reality show. Even less to fall in love with her… so hard… that my head is still spinning. Every day, when I get to see you snoring…”

You interrupt him with a playful slap, luring a general chuckle from the rows.

“Kidding!” Bobby licks his lips, picking up a more serious tone. “When I get to see you wake up next to me, every day, I just know, I made all the right choices… I took all the chances, and it paid off, because the most amazing girl I’ve ever met is right in front of me, ready to be mine… and I can’t believe my luck every time I look at her.”

He sniffs, crumpling the piece of paper, and putting it in his front pocket. “I can only hope to make you as happy as you make me, Lass. Every day, with every laugh, and every look of disapproval…” Once again, laughs soar from the people around. “…you’re the one to push me, to try new things… and the reason why I smile. It’s simple, but it’s true. I love you more than anything, and I promise…” Bobby chokes, taking a deep breath as his cheeks are wet from tears. “I promise I will be there for you, every day, telling you bad jokes, and sometimes good ones, to bring a smile to your gorgeous face. Nothing is more important to me than making you feel like I feel, when I’m with you. I’m fortunate. Lucky.” He shrugs with a wide grin. “Happy.”

The guests let small sniffs out as they see Bobby wiping his tears, rubbing his own eyes, now looking at you, to see you mirroring his movements. You step forward, letting your foreheads rest together, whispering as you sniff, gently. “That was amazing, babe.”

“Yeah?” he perks up, squinting.

“Yeah…” You nod enthusiastically, taking your vows from Chelsea, then turning to him. The tears roll freely on your highlighted cheeks, reaching your chin, and you lift your fingers to stop them. “Hold on, I can do this…” Priya uses her clutch to fan you, a general laugh comes from the guests. “Thanks, Priya… ok. I was going through our moments to write them down as my vows, and then… I remembered the first time we met. You called yourself “a sweet dessert at the end of a main course of beefcake”. At that moment I knew… I had to give this clown a chance.”

A few laughs interrupt your speech, including his.

“But after that first moment, I was always anxious to share whatever moment I could, with you. I can’t imagine those days, or the ones that came after, without you, Bobby. It’s impossible to think about my life without you in it. Then of course, my bridesmaid stole you from me…”

You gesture to Priya, who snorts, hiding her face.

“But when we got to choose each other over the next few weeks, I just knew. It had to be you. It didn’t matter if it was a recoupling, or us, moving in together or opening a business.” You exhale with trembling puffs of air escaping your mouth. “Bobby, there’s not a moment we spent together that I wasn’t happy or motivated. You make me feel in peace… safe, and all I could ask for is a man that respects and cherishes me the way you do. I promise to always love you, care for you, and laugh at your jokes. Even the bad ones… I love you so much…”

He chuckles under his breath, biting his lip with misty eyes. As you finish your vows, Gary and Chelsea dry their tears, perching their lips. Bobby doesn’t even bother anymore, his face is wholly wet, but his gaze stays on you, absorbing every last detail of your soft expression.

“W-wow… erm… do we have the rings?” Gary’s voice trembles as he nods to Noah and Chelsea, fanning himself. The boys have a flicker of amusement on their eyes as they turn their attention to your officiant. He responds with a shrug, a little impatient. “What?! Those were beautiful!”

After a general chuckle, and the boys also sniffing, Gary gestures to you and Bobby, in turns. “Bobby, place the ring on her finger, and repeat after me. I, Bobby Mc Kenzie. promise to love and respect you…”

I, Bobby Mc Kenzie. promise to love and respect you…”

“To go through thick and thin, being loyal, honest, caring and giving…”

Bobby chokes, holding your hands a little tighter. “To go through thick and thin, being loyal, honest, caring and giving…”

“Until the ends of my days.”

“Until… the end of my days.” The ring slips on your finger, teasing a smile from both of you.

“Now… you… mate.”

You chuckle, shaking your head. “I have a name, Gary…”

“Mate …” he smiles, pleased with himself, gesturing to you.

You put the ring on the tip of Bobby’s finger, holding his hand in yours, and the words flow from your mouth, in a soft tone. “I promise to love and respect you, to go through thick and thin, being loyal, honest, caring and giving… until the end of my days.”

Gary raises his brows with a hint of pride in his eyes. “Wow… ok… oof… as witnessed by friends and family, you pledged to be loyal and faithful to each other. I now pronounce you…” he nods to you both with a tender smile. “Husband and wife. You may kiss the bride, big guy!” he pats Bobby’s shoulder, a little too strongly, sending him forward. “Sorry…”

Gripping the sides of your head, and leaning in, Bobby touches his lips on yours, with tenderness. You throw your hands around his neck as you deepen the kiss, causing all of your friends to cheer and whistle, loudly, making a complete fuss right behind you.

“Get in there!!” Gary joins the boys, who pat each other on the back, watching you and Bobby kiss for the first time, as a married couple. The girls clap, taking a place besides them, the group shaking their heads, but still grinning.

You pull away to see a gleam on Bobby’s eyes, his voice immediately whispering. “Hi… wife.”

“Hi… husband…”

A shudder course through you and him, at the same time, and you join hands to walk down the aisle. The song restarts, coming from the corner, dictating your pace as you move forward. You both wave at the guests, not even discerning the faces, hurrying to get to the door and go upstairs, to change your clothes for the reception. Before stepping in, you stop mid pacing, feeling the sun on your skin, tingling as you warm yourself, enjoying the fresh air.

Bobby notices, mirroring your movements, letting go of the hurry, to enjoy the sensation of peace. It was the first time today that you were actually able to take a deep breath of relief, and enjoy this gorgeous moment.

“It’s a proper day, isn’t it?” he says, his freckled lids opening.

“We made the right choice.”

He turns to see you, sighing, but before he could speak, Hurricane Miranda appears behind you, ushering you inside. “Go change!!” No sustained notes on her voice, just a desperation creeping on the undertone. You and Bobby move to the bedroom, closing the door behind you, leaving the commotion on the other side of the hallway.

“Damn, that woman never stops…” Bobby sits on the edge of the bed, taking off his shoes.

“Right…” you contemplate telling him about Miranda’s breakdown, but it’s better to just enjoy the moment. You put a hand on his as he tries to undo the shoelaces. “Not yet…”

“I-I’m sorry?”

You take a seat next to him, gripping his knee. “I just want to take five minutes, you and me, alone. Is that cool?”

“Yes, of course! Is everything ok?” Bobby tilts his head with a hint of worry in his eyes.

“Yeah, everything is… great. It’s just that… between the officiant incident, Gary stepping in, you gone… I-I…” you sigh with relief. “I’m just glad everything worked out… but it was a lot to take in thirty minutes, you know?”

“Yeah, I understand.” Bobby holds the sides of your head, looking into your eyes as he comes closer. “We can take a few minutes to ourselves.” He lets go of your face, to untie the knot on his cravat. “I just need to take this thing off!”

“Wait, let me help you.” You laugh at his desperation, your fingers limber, undoing the strangling knot and tossing the tie behind you. “There.”

“Ah! That’s so much better!”

“I don’t know why you’re wearing a tie…”

“It’s our wedding day…” he draws small circles on your forearm, with his index finger. “I wanted you to be surprised, not disappointed.”

“Oh, I’m definitely not disappointed. You look so…” A hiss escapes your lips, your eyes travelling on Bobby’s look, teasing a soft peachy red tone on his cheeks. “Did I do that out loud?”

“You did.” A wild grin appears on his face as he chuckles. “You liked it, huh?”

“Is it weird that I find it sexy…?”

“Y-you… you find it sexy?”

You lick your lips watching his thighs shudder as you play with the rim of his kilt. “I mean…. You just have to…” you whisper. “… lift.”

“Lift?” he swallows hard.

“Yeah… just… lift.”

He notices the gleam of mischief in your eyes, nodding awkwardly, taken aback. “You wanna… lift it?”

“Help me with this, first…” You turn your back to him, guiding his fingers to your waist and up. He moves them, slowly grazing your back, to unloop the buttons of your dress, along your spine, one by one. His other hand stays on your neck, lightly kneading your muscles.

You feel the tightening of the dress loosen up as it starts falling from your shoulders, one strap at a time. You hum with the relief of the fabric, not hugging your curves anymore, letting your skin breathe.

“It’s a gorgeous dress, Lass… and you look beautiful in it…”

You get up from the bed, letting the whole piece fall to your ankles. “But I look better without it.”

As he moves closer, a knock on the door interrupts you. “Five minutes, guys!!”

“Are you kidding me?!” Bobby whispers with frustration, walking towards the door, knocking back. “We’ll be right there!”

You follow him to the door, pressing your body against his, whispering close to his ear. “We don’t have much time, do we?”

“Yeah… I guess we can wait.” He breathes deeply, letting a heavy sigh out.

“Or… we can be quick…” you bite your bottom lip, gripping his hands to unhook your bra, your lips leaving a trail of kisses on his neck.

“Don’t forget the dancing shoes in the closet, Bobby!” Chelsea’s voice sounds perky and fading as she moves on the hallway.

You rest your forehead on his chest, chuckling sadly. “Yeah… maybe later…”

He grunts in response, shaking his head. “It’s our wedding… it shouldn’t be a problem…! The venue is already paid for, anyway!”

“I know…” a thought pops in your head, your eyes brightening with resolution. “The venue is pretty big…”

He narrows his eyes at you, amusement flickering as he approaches. “Yeah…?”

“I saw a small room at the end of the hallway, where Noah was talking on the phone, earlier. There’s a key on the door…”

Bobby doesn’t wait for you to finish your thought, immediately taking off his blazer, throwing it over your arms. He opens the door with a breach, to check the hallway. “Coast is clear…” he whispers over his shoulder, now, stepping out, shielding you, as you both walk backwards to the room you mentioned, quickly reaching for the knob.

“Jackpot…” Bobby ushers you in, closing the door behind you, already pressing you on the wall, his lips finding yours with urgency.

“Whoa… someone is hungry.”

He leans in, talking in a low voice. “Famished…” his fingers unhook your bra and as his tongue touches your skin, swirling on your breasts as you press your waistline against his. He mutters. “It’s been a month…”

You grin, tugging his underwear, letting it fall to his ankles, below his kilt, then bites his lips. “I need your chest, Bobby…” you open his shirt, hurriedly as he continues to lick his way up, to your collarbone, finding your mouth with his, kissing you passionately.

He grips the sides of your body, lifting one of your legs and holding it to his waist. You hold on to his shoulders with one hand, the other finding the rim of his kilt. “Lift me.”

He obeys your order, nipping your ear, holding your knees on the sides of his stomach. You lock eyes, watching his lips part as he sinks into you, your drenched skin tightening around his. A groan of pleasure escapes his lips as he tosses his head back, biting his own lip. “Fuck…”

Bobby buries his head on your hair, rolling his hips, slowly. You arch your back on the door, hands running on his arms as they flex, to keep you in place. The warm scent of cinnamon emanates from his neck, intoxicating your senses, the sweetness of it giving you an urge to bite his skin. You graze your teeth on his collarbone, alerting him to give you space to work your lips. With a lingering nibble on his chin, you take his mouth with yours, languidly kissing him, feeling the pressure of his body sending a wave of delicious electricity, coursing in your veins. You moan close to his ear, his hairs standing on end as you do. “More…”

Bobby flexes his knees, going in deeper. His voice, throaty, trembles. “Like this?”

You nod in response, eyes shut, your head hanging to the side as you watch his chest muscles contracting. “Just like this…”

Bobby smirks, thrusting forward, letting you watch as his stomach twitches. His voice fades into a whisper when you feel a lasting bite on your shoulder, his hand close to your throat. “It feels amazing, Lass…” His tone is low, and you share a look, your bodies tangled as you move, now in sync, the waves of pleasure increasing below your waistlines.

His fingers graze on your temple, scooping your hair to the side, pulling it lightly so he can lick your neck, moaning as his voice drops to a low groan. “You feel so amazing…”

“Chair…” you nod to the space behind him. Bobby walks backwards, to sit down, digging his fingers on your thighs. “You feel amazing too…” a sultry look stays in your eyes as you gyrate your hips on his lap, hugging the back of his head.

He leans on the touch of your laced fingers, hissing, sliding his palms from your sides to your collarbone. You catch his fingers with your mouth, sucking his middle finger with a smile, grinding on top of him.

Bobby’s brows furrow, he follows every single motion of your hip bones, exhaling sharply from his mouth as you play with his skin. He pleads with a weak voice. “Do that again…”

“This…?” you clench him inside of you, a grunt vibrating on his chest as you repeat it, watching his reaction. His eyes roll with pleasure, feeling you drip over his thighs, now pushing him on the backrest, mounting him vigorously with both hands on his upper arms.

He chuckles, not being able to hold back, his hips meeting yours, halfway. You pick up tempo, rolling your torso. Your moans echo in the empty room as he bounces up, planting his thick lips on your breasts again. He licks your bare skin with his eyes closed, his forearms on the lower of your back.

Your heart races, a pleasant soreness growing between you and Bobby, driving you to hold his head in your hands. Your gazes locked, lips quivering as you feel the crests building. “Bobby…”

In up and down motions, your hips rock against his. He catches your lip with his teeth, moaning your name in response. “Lass…”

“Please…” You can’t finish your sentence as a wave takes you and him, moving in synchrony, your lips parted under his chin. You hug each other, burying your heads on the crooks of your necks, bodies trembling together.

A last sharp grunt comes from his mouth before you feel yourself melting on his lap, your chests jerking as you both tumble into bliss, tossing your heads back, hips still moving together. “Oh god…” Bobby cries out your name, thrusting up as he grits his teeth, feeling his ecstasy with you, the energy rippling on your skin.

His name escapes your lips, once more, before your body falls on his. He chuckles lightly, catching you in his arms, still breathless. “Whoa…” his laugh is contagious, luring your gaze to meet his own.

“Sorry…”

“No… I like it… I like seeing you like this.” His thumb separates a strand of your hair from your face. “You have no idea how sexy you are…”

“I could say the same…” you start noticing the little drops of sweat on his forehead, catching your breath. For a long moment, you and Bobby stay quiet, the only feeling hovering in the room is the enjoyment of your warmth, lingering between you. A crack between the blinds, from the window, lets a single ray of light invade the room, crossing his cheek, his freckles highlighted under the sun beam. “You really have no idea how sexy you are, babe…”

His fingers play with your hair, adjusting the streaks on your shoulder. His eyes get lost on the curves of your body, teasing a deeper tone of red on your cheeks. He slides his fingertips on your waist, watching you shrug with a laugh, feeling ticklish. Biting his inner lip, he takes in the outlines of your body, under the same light. “Gorgeous…”

You smile at him, bringing his head to rest on your chest, butterflies in your stomach as his ring bounces off the sun. “I don’t know about you…” you pick up his hand, to admire your rings, side by side. “… but I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.”

“Lass, if you don’t know it by now…” he kisses your finger. “Then I don’t know what to tell you.”

He’s interrupted by footsteps on the hallway. Conforming to leave the room, you take a deep breath. “Come on… we need to take a shower before going downstairs.”

He grunts with frustration. “Do we have to… go downstairs? Can’t we stay here? It’s so comfortable…” his brows raise suggestively as his palms grip your sides.

“Oh, I wish…” you get up from his lap, taking his hand and nodding to the door. “Come on…”

Bobby follows you, picking up his blazer from the ground, covering you, to leave the bedroom. You shoot him a smile, before opening the door. “And hey… we can go downstairs, have some cake… then have our first dance.”

A panicked look lingers on his face as he follows you to the main room. He mutters under his breath.

“Right… dance…”


	18. The reception

Recently refreshed with a shower, you and Bobby step on the venue assembled to hold the reception. Between themes and colors you chose, you wanted to make sure the visuals would have not only your personality, but also Bobby’s, by including his favorite color: mint. And to complement, a delicate dusty peach.

The sunlight starts fading behind the horizon, and even though it wasn’t on your plans to have a late reception, it was still beautifully coordinated by Miranda and her assistant. The ceiling is ornamented with strings of fairy lights, courtesy of Chelsea’s great taste, to bring some brightness to the arrangements, without obfuscating the natural colors below, on the tables.

As your newly husband takes your hand, your eyes roam on the guests sitting by the chart you came up with. The light mint color of the fine tablecloths is complemented by the white and peach flowers on the pyramidal glasses, serving as centerpieces. The guests’ names, carefully carved in rustic and thin planks of wood, lie next to the white plates, and glasses, perfectly placed on each seat, on pastel colored sousplats.

An emergency arrangement was made, and now, the tables are also ornate with small candles, covered in glass cloches, sitting by the floral bouquets. Each and every one of your guests turn their attention to you and Bobby stepping in, being announced by Kassam, standing behind his table.

Bobby shoots you a confused look, and you immediately grin. “Kassam looks pretty good in sequins, doesn’t he? Of course, that’s not what he wore at the ceremony, or else, I would’ve killed him…” you trail off.

“Ha… very funny…” he laces his fingers with yours, lowering his other hand on your lumbar, leading you to the center of the dancefloor. “I thought you said, “Paisley Cuddle” was gonna be here… that I was gonna sing.” He winks cheekily.

“You see… they were booked!”

“Har, har… what really happened?”

“I don’t know, you’re gonna have to take the matter to the wedding planner. You know… the perky, wonderfuuuuul, Miranda?” you reach a high note, coloring his cheeks with a red tone. He rolls his eyes, starting to sway you on his embrace as your favorite song starts playing, but can’t stifle a grin.

“Wow…” your gaze stays on him as he conducts you gracefully. “I’m impressed with your moves…”

“To be honest, so am I…” he laughs nervously, doing a mental count, then swaying you to the other side.

You can’t help a chuckle. “Let me guess… Noah?”

“Actually, Álvaro!” he nods to Priya’s boyfriend, sitting beside her on the main table, talking as they watch you and Bobby flutter on the dancefloor. Bobby shoots him a thumbs up before continuing his elegant conducting.

“How long did it take?” you nod at his feet with a smirk.

“Not “how long”, but “how many scowls''.” he shakes his head with perched lips. “The man can dance, but wow, he can be really strict!”

“Let me guess again, he wouldn’t take a joke.”

“Not a single one!” he exclaims, now twirling you in place. “Not even when he dipped me!”

“Ooh! He dipped you?” you’re taken aback with an amused expression. “Did you feel special?” you raise your brows, suggestively.

“Ah!” Bobby places a hand on his heart. “So special! It’s so cool to be dipped!!”

“Right?! It’s so…” you sigh.

“And now I know what you girls mean when you talk about him...”

“What do you mean?” you gently flow your feet to follow Bobby’s.

“Like when Priya sighs… eyes lost. He can be pretty smooth!”

“I’m probably gonna regret asking this…”

Bobby just winks, squaring his shoulders as he follows Álvaro’s instructions from a distance. The painter furrows his brows, shifting on his seat, while giving Bobby some pointers, while dancing with someone invisible. “Gotta give it to him. His dedication is unmatched, babe…”

“isn’t it?” your husband smiles, but takes Álvaro far pointers, seriously.

“Hey…” you graze a hand on his temple. “You know you didn’t have to do this, right?”

“Of course, I had. What kind of husband would I be if I didn’t learn how to dance?”

“The non-dancing kind?” you smile, letting Bobby exchange hands to step forward as the song picks up tempo, changing the pace of the choreography. “You do manage to surprise every time. First the kilt, now this? I’m a lucky girl!”

“That you are.” You narrow your eyes at his response, but he laughs, mouthing. “I love you, Lass.”

“I love you too.”

The song comes to an end as Kassam announces Damerae and Aileen to the dancefloor, for their respective dances with you and Bobby. “Hello, darling.” Bobby’s father takes your hand with a smile, his also slender frame squared up as he adjusts his glasses on the bridge of his nose. “Shall we?”

“Please.” You smile, watching as Bobby leads his mother, who laughs at something he just said. Your turn your attention to your father-in-law, softening your voice. “I do have to ask, Damerae. What’s the secret?” you nod to Aileen with a tender look.

“The secret?” he follows your gaze, realizing the nature of your question. “Oh… the secret! Right! Well... there isn’t one.”

“Sure, there isn’t!” you wink at him, following the steps to sway to the other side, now spinning.

“Truth is… I love Aileen. Very much. I do believe there is no secret to keep a marriage if that marriage holds itself up.” He shrugs with a humble look on his eyes. “If you two love and respect each other, it’s a piece of cake. I’ve seen many friends’ marriages end because they weren’t right for each other, darling. It was never…” he purses his lips, looking for the right term. “It was never… easy. At some point, to some degree, it has to be easy.”

“I see. Was it always easy with you?”

He smiles genuinely, tossing his head back. “Absolutely! Aileen and I met in a critical moment of our lives, back then. I was having trouble being in the UK for the first time… she was troubled in school…”

“Hm, you never told the story of how you met.” You squint, seeing Bobby sway his mother to lure laughs from the guests around. She slaps his arm, playfully taking his hand, and the lead.

“Well. Back then, she was flunking. I was an exchange student, fresh from Jamaica. The president of the debate club was supposed to take me on a tour, to know the school, but she never showed up. So…. since Aileen was on “detention”, she was the one to take me.”

“Ah, that’s sweet!” you smile, but it quickly fades when Damerae shakes his head.

“It wasn’t! Aileen wasn’t into it and decided to prank me. She filled my locker with shaving cream, more than once that week.” Your mouth hangs open, but a flicker of amusement stays on your eyes. Damerae continues his tale. “Yes! She was the devil at first! But then, I started helping her with school. She was very smart but was going through a lot at home, with her mother... And I couldn’t resist her ripped jeans and mohawk.”

“W-wait! What?!” you tilt your head in confusion, watching an elegant Aileen conduct her son across the floor, gracefully poised, the skirts of her dress fluttering. “Mohawk?!”

“Oh, yeah! She was a punk back then! Mohawk and all! Bobby picked up after her!” he points his thumb to his son and wife, sharing a laugh. “Humor chops? Definitely mine! But the whole punk rock phase? That’s on her! And I have to admit, it was hilarious when Bobby came back from school, eyeliner and black nails. Aileen was so shocked!”

“No way! He painted his nails?! That’s awesome!” your eyes follow your husband as he tries his best to maintain his posture during his mother-son dance.

“Oh, yeah! He did the whole thing! He would write the lyrics, sing in his room, volume all the way up! I told Aileen that was on her!” Damerae laughs, shaking his shoulders. “And then ‘Paisley Cuddle’ happened… you could see she was proud!”

“When did it fade? You know… the Punk Bobby?”

“I… wanna say around 18. That’s when he got the job at the hospital.” He stares at the superior corner of the room, pensive. “Yeah, definitely at that time! He and the kids are not as close anymore, but it was fun back then! They would play at the garage… it was a nice time. And it got Bella and Neve to get together, so…”

“Right, the bass girl and the guitar player!”

Damerae furrows his brows, and you realize you said it too much, immediately changing the course of the conversation. “So, Damerae…. Tell me.” You try to keep a casual undertone in your voice. “Are there… photos?”

He shakes his head, tossing it to the side with a smile, but right after, his face crumples into a serious grimace. “Oh, there is! I’ll send you all of them!”

“Yes! Thank you, kind sir, that’s all I can ask!” He twirls you in place as the song ends, the guests applauding around the dancefloor. “Thank you Damerae. That was lovely.”

“No, thank you, darling.” He kisses the back of your hand, moving to take Aileen for a spin, and Bobby approaches you, taking you by your waist. “Hi.”

“Hi…” you have an amused, impossible to disguise, smile on your lips as you wave to Aileen, who winks at you.

“Oh, no… I know that look…” he stares at his father, shaking his head. “He told you about the eyeliner, didn’t he?!”

You stifle a laugh, biting your lip from grinning. “Pshh! I have no idea what you’re talking about. Hey, there’s Chelsea!” you point at your maid-of-honor as she walks towards you, Andrew on tow.

“Hey! You two looked so good!” she smiles widely.

“Yeah, you guys killed it!” Andrew drapes an arm on Chelsea’s shoulder, smiling at you and winking at Bobby.

“I guess it’s your turn!” you smile at Chelsea, beckoning Priya and Álvaro, Noah and his plus one, who stands next to him, turns to the other side, and Gary and a girl you’ve seen before but can’t quite pin from where.

They step in on the dancefloor, and Priya immediately comes to hug you and Bobby, spreading her arms, but he takes a step back, hands raised. She slaps his arms with a rueful smile. “Oh, stop it! Look… I’m sorry about earlier, Bobby. You know how it is, right?”

“Oh… yeah! Who doesn’t beat the shit out of their best friend’s fiancée on their wedding day?” he mocks her with a scoff.

“You meant, “best friend’s missing fiancée”, right?” she stares at him, expectantly.

“Ah, let bygones be bygones, guys! It’s all good, now!” you throw a dismissive hand, bringing them both into a bear hug, swinging them from side to side. When pulling away, you notice Noah, holding hands with his plus one. A light blue fabric ruffles with the breeze and your eyes roam from her thin waist to her face, covered in freckles under a thin layer of foundation. “Hannah?”

“Hi.” She bashfully approaches you, throwing her arms around your neck. “Congratulations on your wedding! The ceremony was so beautiful!”

“Sorry for not telling you earlier.” Noah scratches his brow. “You guys had more things to worry about…”

“Oh, it’s…” you shake your head with a chuckle. “I mean… I wasn’t expecting it, but damn! That’s a pair made in heaven!” They shoot each other tender looks, lacing fingers as they smile. “I’m happy for you guys. You look really cute together. As long as you don’t have any “hope” in you…” you look at her knowingly. “… I’m all good.”

“I wouldn’t dare try to change this one…” she looks up at Noah, her blue eyes, sweet.

“You do make a decent looking couple.” Your eyes meet Noah’s and he nods. He knows exactly what you’re thinking, mouthing “Don’t worry.”

“Absolutely! When it’s your wedding?” Bobby nods at them with expectation, feeling your elbow on his ribs. “Ouch! I was joking!”

“Bobby… I think we’re done with wedding talk today… don’t you think?” Chelsea winks at you, taking Andrew to have a dance.

Just then, Gary brushes his fingers on your shoulder, his plus one following close. “Hey.”

“Hey!” you immediately lock eyes with him, throwing your arms on his neck. “I’m glad you could stick around… officiant!” you graze the lapels of his suit, directing your gaze to the girl next to him.

“This… is Emily.” He gestures to her, coyly expecting your reaction.

“Hi! Emily…?” your eyes lock with hers, dark brown and gorgeous, under her lashes. You tilt your head, trying to remember where you know her from, but before you can, Bobby throws his arms around her neck.

“Emily!!”

He swings her, a crease between your brows, clearly confused. Gary stands beside you, leaning in. “Emily was that girl from the Villa, remember?”

You lower your eyes, watching as they still hug, trying to keep your posture. Then, you remember the time Bobby talked about Casa Amor when you girls weren’t around. “Oh, you mean the hilarious girl Bobby liked so much…? That Emily?”

Gary chuckles, amused, staring at the wrinkles on the corners of your eyes. “Yes…. The Emily that kept listening to him, while he was raving about the girl, he liked… and had infinite patience to give him reassurance, telling him said girl would come back single, and ready for him. Yeah, same Emily.”

“Oh…” you look at him to see the enjoyment in his blue eyes.

“You really…” he leans in further. “You’re really jealous, aren’t you?”

“W-well…” you stammer, turning to see a grin spreading on his face, then slapping his arm, hard. “Shut up!”

“Oh, my god… that’s adorable!” he brings you closer to Emily and Bobby as they pull away. “Emily, this is…”

“Oh, the famous girl that stole this clown’s heart!” she slaps the back of her hand on Bobby’s stomach, then proceeds to extend her hand to shake yours. “You look gorgeous, by the way, we were just saying!”

“Hi. It’s… nice to meet you.” You’re suddenly taken aback by her beauty. Emily’s complexion glows with the lights from the venue, bouncing back an olive tone. She has a bright smile and her long, curly hair, drapes on her shoulders and chest, reaching the mid-section of her back, shining with the flickers of the beams from the lamps. “You look gorgeous yourself!”

“Oh… stop lying!” she smiles at Gary, staying by his side. “So… the ceremony was stunning!”

“Thanks to me, of course!” Gary shrugs with nonchalance in his voice, luring a laugh from his plus-one.

“I like you because you’re modest, Gary! So modest!” she places a hand on his shoulder, and they exchange a sweet look.

“See… I didn’t expect this…” Bobby gestures to them. “But you do look cute together.” He smiles at Gary as they share a look.

“And it’s all thanks to them.” Gary points at Chelsea and Andrew as they shimmy together, followed by Priya and Álvaro, laughing loudly. He sees the confusion in your eyes, promptly explaining. “Chelsea saw Emily at a party a few weeks ago...”

“Yeah, and she invited me for brunch the next weekend, and coincidence or not, Andrew brought Gary with him.” She tosses her hair back as Gary takes her hand. “One thing led to another…”

“And I asked her out.” He shrugs, timidly.

“Oh, that’s great, man!” Bobby shakes Gary’s hand, hugging for a moment, leaving you and Emily to watch them pat on each other’s backs. They ruffle each other’s clothes and your husband whispers something in Gary’s ear, making you and Emily share a suspicious look. As they pull away, the rest of the group comes, dragging you across the dancefloor.

“Guys! Quit yapping! It’s time to party!” Priya takes your hand, and as a waiter brings a tray filled with champagne glasses, she distributes them amongst the group, holding hers up. “We’ll have plenty of time to be sappy, but right now… I just wanna say… I love you guys.” She gestures her glass in your direction, holding it by the stem. “You were such a cute couple back then, and you still are a great example. So… I suggest we clink to these two...”

Your friends’ glasses meet in the middle of the circle, and after a general swig, dresses and suits ruffle their way into the dancefloor, Priya and Chelsea tossing her hair, inviting you to stay between them.

Nervously, Hannah and Emily stay next to their plus ones, but the boys join in with Bobby, Álvaro and Andrew, shimmying as they laugh at something Gary just said. Noah stays quietly bobbing his head and stepping back and forth, smiling at Hannah, who tries to follow his lead.

“Come on you two! Show us what you got!” you gesture to Emily and Hannah, bringing them closer to your circle, now twerking, to everyone’s amusement.

“Yeah!!” Priya snaps her fingers, mirroring your moves, to bump butts with you, catching everyone’s eyes. Soon enough, the rest of your guests stay around the two groups, and you join forces to dance together, as one.

Gary and Emily awkwardly shake their bodies, dancing close to each other, while Andrew picks Chelsea up, spinning her as her knees stay on the sides of his stomach. She can’t help a high pitch as he throws her above his head, catching her to strike a pose, Chelsea on his lap.

“Damn!” Bobby watches, mesmerized, now gripping your hand, twirling you in place and bringing you closer, so you move together, in unison. “Hi, beautiful.”

“Hi!” you spin around him, swaying your hips from side to side, grazing your hands on his back for his delight, then descending as you touch his legs, keeping eye contact.

“Lass… this is a family event, you know?” he laughs as you come back up, arching your back on his chest. People around start clapping for you and him as they watch Bobby’s hands on the lower of your back. His eyes meet yours as Gary places a flower between Bobby’s lips and he leads you into a playful tango. You can’t help tossing your head to the side, laughing, as he takes you across the floor, shooting everyone a sultry look.

“Ooh, babe… first the kilt, now this?”

He holds the flower by the stem, putting it behind your ear, smiling seductively. “What can I say… I’m a man of many talents.”

“And surprises!” your eyes meet his, tenderly, as you touch the petals, adjusting it with your hair. “Thank you for this.” You gesture to you as you move across the dancefloor, luring the looks and claps from your friends and guests, a few laughs as well.

“Well, I’m not the only one full of surprises, am I?” Bobby winks cheekily.

“W-what do you mean?”

“You’re full of surprises yourself.” He nods, but you frown with confusion, furrowing your brows.

“I don’t know… what you’re talking about.” Your voice comes out with an apprehensive tone.

“It’s ok, Lass. I know…”

“Know what…?”

Just then, Kassam stops the music, giving the microphone to Miranda, who coordinates the people to go back to their seats, for the toasts. You follow a sarcastic Bobby to your main table, but before you can ask, Chelsea is already standing up, beside you, her glass in hand.

You lean in, whispering. “Seriously, what are you talking about?”

He places his index finger on his lips, indicating for your maid-of-honor to start. You feel your head spinning, trying to find the answer for what Bobby meant, your thoughts loud. “What do you mean, you know. What do you know?”

Chelsea gestures to you, and just then, you come back from your trance. “… it’s funny how welcoming they were when I first got there! I must admit, Bobby was looking like a delish-dish that night!”

“And on the others, as well. Bloke always used the same shirt!” Gary raises his glass, winking at Bobby.

“Said the guy who owns one red plaid! Seriously, Garebear, go shopping!”

“Guys…” you call them out, nodding to Chelsea. “Let my maid-of-honor speak!”

“Anyway! They all were looking like a delish-dish! I didn’t mean only the groom… because all of the boys were…” she looks at Priya, with desperation in her eyes. “I should’ve written this down!”

Some people chuckle, you included. “Chels… you’re doing great, sweetie!”

“Right!” she points her delicate finger to you. “As I was saying… the bride wasn’t looking bad either, you know!” she winks at the general public. “But I must admit, I was really scared when I got there… and if it wasn’t for you guys to make me feel welcomed, I have no idea what the Love Island experience would’ve been for me. That’s when I knew you were good people. Not only as a couple, but like… really good friends!” She then turns her eyes to Bobby. “Remember when we talked about baby names?! It was so much fun! And you were so nervous!”

“Baby names?” you nudge Bobby, whispering. He shifts in his seat, a peachy tone spreading on his cheeks.

He cups his mouth. “I’ll tell you later…”

“And I just wanted to say, I love you guys as friends, and as people, but you two together can, and will, take the world! Congratulations, guys. I love you so much!”

Bobby gets up from his seat, throwing his arms around Chelsea’s neck, kissing her cheek. “That was awesome, Chels!”

“Yeah! We love you too, girl!” you three pull away, to hear Noah’s words as he gets up, shyly raising his glass towards the both of you with a sweetness in his eyes.

“Ok. You all know I’m not much of a talker. I let that be Bobby’s role!” he nods at your husband, who motions a finger-gun, winking at his best man. “But I must say. The entire time we know each other, you two have inspired so many people with your love. It’s not only about being there for each other, but you’re also, constantly, bringing people together, and that’s admirable! As a couple, you set the example of what a relationship should look like. The respect, compassion, loyalty, humor…” he shoots a knowing look to both you and Bobby. “… and love. You’re just able to make everyone around you feel welcome, and I consider myself very lucky for having you as friends.” Noah raises his glass. “To the newlyweds.”

Everyone repeats the words, taking a sip from their champagne.

Bobby’s eyes fall on Gary, who shakes his head, whispering to Bobby. “Tonight, let the best man and maid-of-honor do it… who knows… I might have a new opportunity in thirty years when you remarry!”

You shoot him a look, and he retracts in his chair, indicating you and Bobby. “I meant to each other! You know… when couples do that…” he looks at Emily, who stifles a laugh. “You know I didn’t mean he’s gonna abandon you, right, mate?” the desperation in his voice lures a laugh from you.

You contemplate putting him out of his misery, but instead, Bobby and Emily join in. “Sure, Gary. Nice way of ruining it…” Bobby furrows his brows.

“Yeah, seriously, babe! What the hell?” Emily gestures to you, faking a scoff, folding your arms on your chest. He buries his face in his massive hands, and you three exchange winks, holding back your laughter.

The dinner gets served, all special foods to honor not only Bobby’s, and yours, British heritage, but also, his and Damerae’s.

The dishes are served in different pacing, as you enjoy the perfumed food as they come, in portions. You couldn’t decide on which salad, so you brought both options to the menu, the coleslaw and the minted cucumber salad. Chelsea’s hums are unstoppable as she devours the second option, her eyes always shut with satisfaction.

The drinks were also a nice way of honoring the Jamaican side of the family, especially when you tasted the Jamaican Rum Punch for the first time. Priya takes a sip, immediately humming with delight. “This is delicious!”

“Right?! It’s filled with a lot of rum, so, drink up, girl!” you clink glasses with her, winking discreetly, taking a swig of yours, as the food keeps coming. Gary ravishes his plate of rice and peas and steamed plantains, with the stewed beef. He can’t talk, even though he tries. “Babe… it’s better if you swallow your food, first, no?” Emily chuckles, grazing her palm on his shoulder.

He nods rapidly in response.

As your eyes roam on the room, you can’t help but feel warm inside. From the moment Bobby proposed to you, despite some plans that fell through, the only thing you really wished for, was this.

A fun day, with the people you love the most, sharing laughs, dance moves, tossing of jackets as they go back to the dancefloor, eventually. When you met Miranda and had to take care of the decisions about the wedding, because Bobby was so nervous, the only thing in your mind was to have this particular moment.

Bobby and Gary toasting with their forks, Noah shaking his head, calling them “children” as they impersonate an airplane, trying to get the fork into the librarian’s mouth, together. Chelsea and Priya, on your side of the table, drinking, disapproving whatever your husband and officiant talk about now. Rolling their eyes and scoffing, but sharing a laugh when, inevitably, Gary and Bobby get their shirts dirty while attempting the “airplane” stunt for the fourth time.

The wedding ceremony was for you and Bobby to celebrate your love, indeed, however, having your friends and family to share this moment is a good addition to the day, and you wouldn’t trade this for the world.

“Lollies!!” Gary’s voice becomes squeaky, as he delivers the punchline for his internal joke with your husband, patting his back as they laugh loudly, shutting their eyes.

“And on that note, we should hit the dancefloor…” you get up from your seat, taking Bobby’s hand, and one by one, your friends link arms to follow you to the center of the floor.

Aileen and Damerae join you, exhibiting a certain poise while doing a modern shuffle, dragging their feet along with Bobby’s and Gary’s, trying the best they can to not outshine their son while dancing.

Suddenly the music stops, and you see a commotion in front of Kassam’s table. He sprints towards Bobby, a hint of worry and discomfort in his eyes. “Bobby! Come quickly!”

“What’s up!? What’s going on?”

“Just come! I need your help!” he grabs Bobby’s hand, dragging him across the floor, to the other side, where four other people step on the stage, dressed in ripped jeans and leather jackets. Bobby stops on his tracks, eyes wide. Over his shoulder, he shoots you a confused look and you nod, grinning widely.

“I believe this belongs to you, Mr. McKenzie.” Michael, the drummer of Paisley Cuddle hands him a leather jacket, marked down with scrapes and tears on the fabric, all 70’s and 80’s punk rock bands’ buttons spread on the lapels. Their gazes meet and Bobby smiles, throwing his arms around the drummer’s neck.

“Good to see you, buddy!”

You and your friends approach the improvised stage, now being equipped with instruments, as the members from the band bring them, one by one. Bella and Neve nod at you, with huge grins, now picking up their respective instruments from the bench, tuning them.

Aileen shakes her head but can’t help being excited. She’s visibly smiling, watching Bobby stay in front of the microphone, completely lost as the members of the band come congratulate him, by hugging him with vigor.

“It’s good to see you, Prince!” Neve nudges him, connecting the amp on her guitar, giving Bella the space to talk to him.

“Hey, Prince! Nice to see you. You clean up pretty well!” her green eyes fall on his suit as she winks at him, putting her dirty blonde hair in a ponytail.

“Hey… stop flirting!” he cups his mouth. “Our wives are right there!” he points to you and Neve, in turns, and they share a laugh, but she stops, gripping both of his shoulders.

“It’s really good to see you, man.”

“You too.”

Bobby’s eyes cast on yours as he grips the microphone, a little apprehensive at first. “Well… I believe… it’s… show time?” he shoots Michael a look as the drummer lets his dark curls down from his updo, shaking his head as he counts with the drumsticks hitting the plates. “One, two, one, two, three, go!”

He sets the rhythm, and like a magnetic pulse, the guests start joining you in front of the improvised space, cheering them on. Bella, winks at you, as her agile fingers sweep on the strings, the deep sound resonating with Bobby’s raspy voice on the mic, building his tuneful tone on a classic by “The Clash”.

“That’s my husband right there!!” you point at him, listening as “Should I stay or should I go” progresses. Your friends mesmerized, blink slowly, watching your spouse grow on the stage, with attitude, whipping his hair as the lyrics go on.

Damerae mouths the lyrics with Aileen, who waves her arms in the air, tossing her hair as she sings along with her son. “Go, Bobbo!!”

Gary nudges you, eyes wild, but still confused. “What… is happening right now?!” he watches Bobby kicking the air, shaking his body with the other guitarist, Gustav.

“So… funny story…” you lean in to tell him about the cake sampling and how bumped Bobby was about Paisley Cuddle not being present. “So, I called Bella, who, by the way, is an excellent florist…” you look around with a smirk. “And I asked if she wanted to do this… she said yes almost immediately, and called the others! I met them a week ago, at a pub downtown.”

“Yeah, Kassam told me you prepared a surprise, I just figured with your hot restaurant, it was gonna be Cardi B or something.”

“Never.” You emphasize your tone, shooting him a serious look. “Ever, do you hear me?”

“Right. Never.” He raises a defensive hand, and you both turn your attention to the strumming on the second guitar, now delivering a solo as Bobby motions his moves, shutting his eyes, bobbing his head to the rhythm. There’s not a single person around who doesn’t cheer the band on, chanting the band’s name, all over the venue.

“Go, Bobby!!” Priya and Chelsea join your side, just as impressed as Gary, throwing their arms in the air, enjoying the music.

“I knew he could sing, but damn!!” your maid-of-honor takes off her shoes, jumping in place with them in hand. You and Priya share a look, then shrug, following her lead. You send the shoes below the main table, sliding them on the floor, and as they hit the table legs, you high-five each other. “Strike!”

The party continues, a couple of more songs being played by Paisley Cuddle, now covering Sex Pistols’ “God save the Queen” even though Aileen requested “Anarchy in the UK”, and bobbed her head to the cover, under protest. “Anarchy is the best one!”

Damerae kissed her temple, enjoying Bobby’s voice as he finished the song, now moving on to the next request, coming from you. “How about some “Holiday in Cambodia”?” you shoot him a smug look as your arms fold on your chest. Your mother-in-law immediately shouts “Yes!”

Your husband shrugs, with a smile, talking on the mic. “I thought you were gonna go for something different…” his gaze locks on yours, impressed.

“You’re not the only one who painted the nails black and wore eyeliner, babe!”

The band is about to play your song, and Bobby invites you to stay on the stage. You refuse, copiously. “No!” you shake your head furiously, remaining in your spot, just below the amp. “I’ll stay right here!”

He laughs, as Michael does the count on the drums, starting your request. Bobby’s eyes were glowing as he sang the lyrics. It’s almost overwhelming to watch him on stage, and how he naturally picks up the mic and delivers such a fun, great performance.

“He’s full of attitude, I’ll tell you that!” Gary nudges you, grinning goofily as he watches his friend deliver the song.

“Isn’t he?”

After a few more songs, and general applause and chants from the guests, they get off the stage, joining you on the floor. Your friends all pat them on the back, still in shock with Punk Bobby. Priya and Chelsea nod at you, pointing out the jacket. You nod back. “I know…”

Bella, the bass player, walks in your direction, immediately throwing her arms on your neck. “Thank you so much for letting this happen!”

“Girl! You were shining there! If anything, I should be thanking you!”

Bobby heads to the corner where you talk to her, linking arms with Neve and Gustav, the guitar players, introducing them to you. “I believe you guys haven’t met my wife.”

“Oh, we did!” they fist-bump you, in turns, and Gustav winks cheekily at Bobby, followed by Neve. “Who do you think organized the whole thing, Prince?” she holds hands with Bella and the three of them stare at your husband, smugly smiling.

“Are you serious?!” his gaze locks on yours, gobsmacked.

Michael joins in, after shooting a smirk at a group of girls by the stage, shoving the drumsticks in the back pocket of his jeans. “Hey, guys! Hey mate!” he high-fives you.

Your husband stammers, shocked, shaking his head as the realization sinks in.

“You didn’t think Paisley Cuddle wouldn’t be around for your wedding, did you!? You actually thought that?” you grip the lapels of his leather jacket, bringing him closer for a kiss.

“Ha!” Neve points at his red cheeks as he hugs your waist. “Come on, man! It had to happen!”

“It’s just… it’s been a long time, right?”

“Well… some things resist time, right?” Bella elbows his ribs. “Besides, we wouldn’t miss this! You didn’t miss ours…” she joins Neve’s side, lacing fingers.

“Yeah, Prince. Get your head out of your ass!”

“Ok, what’s the deal with this whole “Prince” thing…?” you turn your attention to him, expectantly.

Michael opens his mouth to speak, but Bobby grabs him by the neck. “I think it’s time for you guys to grab some food, what do you think?” he pushes them towards the table, but before they follow through, Gustav waves his phone in the air.

“I’ll just text you the story, mate…”

“Har, har… see ya later!”

The boys and girls shoot you a smile, waving over their shoulder, to enjoy some fish fingers on the appetizer’s table. “We’ll catch you on the dancefloor, Prince.”

“Seriously… what’s this about “Prince”?”

“You’re not gonna make me tell you, are you?” he frowns, whipping his dreadlocks back, rubbing his brows.

“Oh, come on… it can’t be that bad…!”

“It’s not that it’s bad… it’s just…”

“Yeah?”

“Emb-embarrassing…”

“What story about you isn’t?”

Bobby perches his lips, flaring his nostrils with annoyance. “Har, har…”

“I’m just… I mean… we’re married… we should know this stuff…” you trail off, grinning as you see his reaction.

“Wow… the married card, huh? It only took you…” he checks an imaginary watch, tapping on his wrist. “Two hours. Nice!”

“Come on!” you grab him by the flaps of his jacket, biting your lip. “You know you want to…”

He throws his head back with a long, deep sigh, grazing his hands on your knuckles. “Fiiine…! Ok…” he pulls a chair nearby, taking a seat, placing you on his lap. “But you can never talk about it again, do you hear me?”

You motion a zipper over your lips, shaking your shoulders with excitement. “Never.”

“Look… I’m not gonna tell you the whole thing…” he shakes his head, pinching the bridge of his nose as he sighs, deeply. “Suffice to say… it was Halloween, I was dressed as Prince… because I saw it on a tv show, and… well… things got weird and I scared a girl off.”

“H-how?”

“I-I… I was nervous when talking to her… and did I mention someone pranked me with some… baptized brownies?”

“Baptized…? As in… booze, pot, pills of a cruel source?”

“Worse… Dr-dramin.”

Your mouth hangs open as realization dawns on you. “Oh… isn’t that those…”

“Yep… it can have the opposite effect when you’re not experiencing the symptoms…” his face falls as he takes a deep breath. “My Prince costume was ruined and I had to spend the rest of the party at Bella’s bedroom…”

“Oh… my… who would do that?!”

“A star-player from the rugby team, that’s who! He was into her… she was into musicians, so he thought he needed to sabotage me. Like a guy like me could possibly compete with him!” he scoffs, raising his brows as a slight red tone rushes to his freckled cheeks.

“W-wait… he did it… out of jealousy?” your eyes lock on him, a slight grin spreading on your lips.

“What? N-no! he did it because…”

“He was jealous! Bobby!” you snap your fingers, motioning a wake-up call. “He thought you had a chance… he sabotaged you because you had a chance.” You chuckle.

“No… he did it because he hated me! He hated all of us!”

“Right… so who else felt sick in front of the girl they liked, again?”

“W-well…” he furrows his brows as he stares at multiple spots on the floor, trying to remember.

“Yeah… that’s what I thought!” you get up from his lap, extending your hand for him to take it.

“I… I could’ve sworn… like… it wasn’t just me.”

“Bobby. It’s time you know this. Aileen showed me a couple of pictures of you, at fourteen and I have to tell you this. If we met back then… I would be all over you!”

He hides a shy smile, looking away. “No, you wouldn’t…”

“Yes, I would! You were really cute! And I gotta say… the whole punk Bobby thing…? It’s really hot.”

His gaze falls on you, surprised. “Yeah?”

“Are you kidding me? You killed it! I bet there was more than one star-player jealous. Come on. Funny and hot? It was over for them!”

Bobby chuckles, coyly. “You’re just saying that to make me feel better.” You open your mouth to speak, but he cuts you short. “And I appreciate it. Being true or not, it doesn’t matter.”

He looks at the party happening behind you, on the dance floor. “The only thing that matters is what we have, right now.”

“Ooh… now that’s hot…”

He leans in, talking closer to your lips. “I love you, Lass.”

“I love you too… Prince.” Before he can pull away with an annoyed face, you bring him closer, brushing your lips on his. He gives in, deepening the kiss, grazing his hands on the waist of your dress, gripping your sides.

His forehead touches yours, and after exhaling sharply, he speaks, in a low voice. “So…” he nods to the stage, timidly smiling. “Was it everything you wanted?”

“What…? The show? You? The wedding?”

“Let’s… put everything together. Was this the day you were hoping to have?” Bobby tilts his head as he takes your hands in his.

“Well…” your eyes travel on your surroundings. People dancing, eating, drinking and just generally, having fun. You hold his gaze with yours, a genuine smile spreading across your lips. “Yeah… it was. Still is, if we catch up with them!” you gesture to the boys, who are now tossing their jackets, to enjoy Kassam’s music as he takes his tables again. “What do you say…? Wanna sweat your arse off on the floor?”

“Ha!” he tosses his head back. “Thought you would never ask!” your husband throws you on his shoulder, walking towards your friends on the dancefloor, letting you plant your feet on the ground, grabbing a tray of drinks from a waiter walking by.

One by one, you raise your glasses, clinking, to enjoy the rest of the night, celebrating.

\--


	19. Jamaica

A gorgeous day blooms above the chalky clouds as the plane cuts through the sky, leaving England behind, towards your destiny. You’re more than ready for your honeymoon and can’t wait to have a full two weeks with Bobby. No phones, no emails, no bills or employees. Just you, Bobby, margaritas by the pool, and possibly a new bed for the hotel room, according to his promises.

Of course, it was hard for him to leave the ‘McKenzie’ under Gabriel’s command, but despite his high energy, you trusted him to take care of the place. “Plus, Damerae and Aileen are gonna be here, so if you need anything…”

“Don’t worry, guys! We’ll take care of everything. You can be sure we’ll be treating the ‘McKenzie’ like our baby!” Gabriel led you to the door, Bobby’s parents trailing right behind.

“And if Gabriel does something wrong, we have backup!” Aileen hugs you before you hop in the cab, to the airport.

“Have a safe trip, and text us when you get there.” Damerae embraces Bobby, leading him into the car, before he could change his mind, waving at you as the cab pulled from the curb.

It was certainly a stressful half an hour, trying to get Bobby to leave, but once you did, he was more peaceful. Especially after you gave him alcohol, his request, in the airplane. It didn’t take long for his head to lean on your shoulder as he fell asleep, missing almost your entire flight.

Once at the airport, you rented a car, and went straight to the hotel, doing all the procedures of the check-in. Bobby swiped the magnetic card on the door with such vigor, he was trembling from excitement to just be there.

“Ok, babe… calm down…” you laughed as the door clicked with a bright green light. He sprinted to the bed, plopping on the mattress and spreading his legs and arms.

“Oh, this is ‘the’ life!”

“Yeah, next thing it’s gonna be to sleep, right?”

“You know it!”

You decided to take the plane right after the reception, not letting your plan fall through. A lot could’ve gone wrong and Bobby wouldn’t be able to let go of the restaurant if you stayed one more day at the capital.

The sun is peeking through the sheer cream curtains, shining on Bobby’s eyes as he stares at you, by the edge of the bed. “Aren’t you gonna join me?”

You smile, arms folded on your chest. “In a minute…” you tilt your head, watching as he sighs with relief, enjoying the warmth of the beams crashing through the window. “You look really good from here, by the way…”

“Yeah?” he grins, his arms supporting his head. “You do too… although…” he sits on his knees, pulling you by your waist. “I don’t think anything beats that white outfit.”

You furrow your brows. “My wedding dress…?”

He shakes his head with a smirk. “Nope…”

“Oh? Oh…!” realization dawns as you remember the other outfit you were wearing. The one underneath your wedding dress, that Bobby couldn’t take much advantage due to Miranda’s screaming across the hallway.

“Please tell me you brought it…” he eyes you, expectantly, a playful motion of his hands as he slides them to your hips.

“Oh… I did…”

He hisses, exhaling sharply from his mouth. “That’s my wife!” he tosses you on the bed, crawling over you, framing your face with his forearms. For a moment, he doesn’t say or do anything. Just holds your gaze, his thumb caressing your temple. “What do you say we get some sleep… and then… we can take a shower and have something to eat?”

You lick your lips, shutting your eyes as the fatigue consumes you, your voice weak. “That’s a plan…”

Bobby lies next to you, bringing you closer to lie on his chest, kissing the top of your head. Suddenly your body feels the exhaustion from the last two days, forcing you to stay on the crook of his neck, inhaling his cinnamon scent as you drift off.

“Sleep tight, lass.” He smiles at your soft snoring, adjusting himself to hold you. “Well… you already are…” he chuckles, shutting his eyes as well, snuggling you closer.

\--

A few hours later, he opens his eyes with the thinning light coming from the window. The water dashing from the shower stops, and you climb out, wrapping yourself in your towel. He bolts from the bed, leaning against the door frame, talking to you as you let your hair down from the updo.

“Hey…”

“Hi, sleepyhead…”

“Have you been awake for long?”

You move to the sink, grabbing the toothbrushes, spreading the toothpaste on both, handing him one. “Not long...”

“You took a shower without me, so it must’ve been at least an hour in there.” He grins, nodding to you, brushing his teeth.

“Har, har… I’ll let you know you’re the one who’s slacking. I already got up, ordered “breakfast”, unpacked our stuff, checked in with the hotel restaurant, reserved stretch chairs for both of us, did the reservations for dinner and managed to take a shower…”

“Show off!”

“Nah… you, sir, are the “show off”…” you move to the bedroom, picking up his leather jacket from the hanger between his colorful shirts in the wardrobe. “What is the meaning of this?” you hold it for him to see, brows raised.

“Oh, come on…” he spits the toothpaste, rinsing his mouth. “I saw the way you were looking at me… you wanted it!” Bobby shoots you a defiant look, placing the toothbrush on the holder by the sink. “Face it… you love punk Bobby…”

Eyes narrowed, you jab the piece of clothing on his chest, moving to brush your own teeth, shaking your head.

“Just tell me I’m wrong and get this over with…” he bites his inner lip, and as you ignore him, he grabs a towel, turning the tap on, climbing in the shower.

“Oh, f-fine!” you roll your eyes. “You look really hot in that! What kind of idiot would take a look at you and say “Nah, I’m good…”?

He cocks his head from the glass door with a smile. “Thank you… that’s all I wanted.”

“Plus… you owe me big time! First, the kilt, then the jacket?”

“Wait… you had fun with the kilt…” he sees your perched lips. “Fine, you had some fun with the kilt. But that was courtesy of your wedding planner.”

“She wouldn’t shut up about the “five minutes”!” you chuckle. “I loved everything about our wedding, I did! But you have no idea how relieved I am that the whole thing is over…”

His muffled voice can be heard as he continues to shower, talking to you through the glass door. “You know, I kinda had a lot of fun choosing the cakes and all… I’m just really happy you wanted my opinion on things, you know?”

“That’s what a marriage is, right?”

“Well, not for everyone. Not every guy is interested and not every girl likes to let go of control.” He squeezes a bottle of body wash, and your nose catches the scent of cinnamon emanating with the steam.

“For what is worth, I think you have great taste… sort of…” you laugh, rinsing your mouth, placing the toothbrush beside his, moving to the bedroom to get dressed.

Bobby breaks into a song, humming high and low notes, with perfection, singing a good acapella version of “God Save the Queen” under the water.

He climbs out, casually wrapping himself in his towel, a little bit of concern in his eyes. As he walks in the bedroom, he opens his mouth to speak, but stops himself. You’re standing in front of him, wearing the white lingerie from the wedding and a smile. Your arms stay behind your back as you speak, in a low voice.

“Did you know they have a washing machine down the hallway?” your eyes roam on his, then on yourself, smirking. “I just figured… make the most use of everything, right?”

Bobby bites his lips as he absorbs every detail of your curves, tightly embraced by the lace pieces, walking towards you as he exhales sharply from his mouth. “Lass…”

“And don’t forget…” you reveal his kilt, in your hands, now, jabbing it on his chest with a little more aggressive tone. “Put this on…”

He shakes his head with disbelief but hurrying to put the kilt on. “You really liked it, huh?”

“Oh, babe… you’re about to see how much…”

The kilt on, you corner him, until the back of his legs reaches the bed. Bobby’s eyes roam on your underwear, noticing a lace strap on your thigh, connected to your panties, luring hunger from his eyes. You push him to sit. “Stay there.”

He nods, obeying your command, a gleam growing in his hazel eyes, under his lashes.

You place your foot between his legs, the sole of your shoe on the edge of the bed, now guiding his fingertips to undo the hooks of your garter belt.

“Take them off.”

He locks eyes with you, catching his breath as he removes the straps from your thigh, trailing his lips along. The fabric leaves your skin, falling to the ground as you close your eyes to feel the warmth of his breath, giving you a tingling sensation.

Bobby shifts on his seat, clasping your leg, adoringly kissing your bare skin, his eyes never leaving yours. A whisper escapes your mouth as you toss your head back, feeling the softness of his lips roaming on you. “Don’t stop…”

You guide his hands to touch the sides of your body, feeling the webbing of the material of your bra. “Do you like it?” He nods in response, taking in the details of your body’s outlines, clutched by the piece of clothing.

“You look amazing.” He says, in a serious tone, slowly getting up, his eyes following the contour of your body. “You always look amazing.”

“Do you wanna see more?” you smirk, taking his hands on your shoulder blades.

“I wanna take it off… that’s what I wanna do…” Bobby mumbles his breath, biting his bottom lip, shutting his eyes.

You lean forward, your breath brushing on his chin as you respond with a low voice. “Do it…”

His cheeks flush with intensity while his fingers unfasten your top. You shrug it off with a smile, pushing him to sit on the chair by the table, this time, letting Bobby watch you, slowly, place his palms on your bottoms.

He waits for you to nod, giving him permission to tug them, tossing the light, white piece, to the side. His eyes contemplate you, in front of him, bare skin, as you lean in, asking. “What do you want, Bobby?”

He shakes his head, a thoughtful voice as he hisses at the vision of you, undressed, so close to his mouth. “No. What do you want, Lass?”

“Do whatever you want with me.”

Your words entice a sultry look from him as he gets up, slowly pressing his body on yours, holding your waist as he leads you to the bed. “Then, please, lie down for me.”

You crawl on your back, adjusting yourself to stay on the mattress, watching as Bobby leans over you, looking down at his own piece of clothing. “Do you want me to keep it?” You nod with a bite on your lip, he smiles. “Anything you ask me, Lass…”

He raises your legs to his shoulders, holding the sole of your foot, kissing the arch with his eyes closed, lovingly. You feel a tingling sensation, below your waistline, mixed with a ticklish feeling as he continues. “Do you want me to stop?”

You shake your head. “Keep going.”

Bobby obeys, his lips travel to your ankles, leaving a trail of kisses as he moves up, following the length of your leg. He exhales sharply, shutting his eyes as you hoist yourself up, your hands grabbing the bulge on his kilt. His moan comes out a bit aggressive. “Hm, Lass…”

“Do you want me to stop?”

“F-for now…” he smirks, kissing his way to your knee, then thigh, bending over to move his tongue inwards, a shudder coursing on your body while his voice resonates on your skin. “Tell me what you want.”

You look at his lips, thirsty for him to keep his work. “Take control…”

He raises his brows with closed eyes. “You’re out to kill me…” sitting on his knees, he pulls you closer, his lips moving on your stomach, reaching your chest. Slowly, he swirled his tongue on your breasts, a moan spilling from you and a grunt vibrating on his throat.

You clasp his head as the tip of his tongue continues travelling under your collarbone, shivers on your scalp. His eyes hold your gaze as you watch him take every inch of your body in his mouth. He leaves a trail of nips to your chin, taking your lips with his, fiercely kissing you.

His tongue massages yours in a languid kiss, as you feel Bobby swelling against your waistline, adrenaline rushing in your veins as you press yourself against him. He stops the kiss, shaking his head. “I’m taking control, remember?”

“Does that mean you’re gonna tease me more?”

He smirks until reaching your lips again, whispering. “Yes.” His kisses become hungrier, every sensitive spot in your body pleads for him the more he teases you with his mouth.

He travels downwards, looking up to take in the angle. “You have no idea how good you look from here.”

“It’s about to get better, isn’t it?”

Bobby nods, licking his way down, finding your drenched. He hisses with anticipation, now touching his mouth on you, luring a loud, throaty moan from you, as he does.

His tongue swipes your sensitive spot as he grips your thighs, bringing you closer. You try your best to stay still, but he loves the motion of your hips against his face. “If you don’t move them, I’ll stop.”

“Can’t let you do that, can I?”

He shakes his head, buying himself on the layers below your waist, the heat of his breath emanating on the inner sides of your legs. You gyrate your hips in sync with his tongue, tossing your head back as Bobby pleases you, intensely groaning along with you.

A faint whisper comes from you as you plead, the rushing of waves of pleasure taking your body, making you move faster against his mouth. “Please…”

He doesn’t stop, circular motions sending a shudder over you as your hands guide his head, moving in unison, for you to reach your ecstasy. The crests build, luring a strong grunt from your lips as you bite them, crying out his name.

You feel the tightening of your skin as you plead, dripping on the bed sheets, your head hanging and your heart racing. A light and sore sensation takes over, your hips moving as you melt in his mouth, raking your fingernails on his upper arms. He raises his gaze, watching as you reach your ecstasy, an insane gripping of pillows as you breath his name. Wrinkles grow on the sides of his eyes as he smirks, his mouth still working on you, now slower.

He licks his lips, rising from his position, helping you up from the bed. “Like I said… you look amazing from that angle.”

“I bet you do too.” You push him to sit on the mattress, immediately kneeling on the floor.

Bobby watches, surprised, as you take over. “I thought I was taking control.”

“You can. After this.” You graze your hands from his knees, sliding your palms on his thighs, lifting the kilt, to see Bobby, stimulated enough. “Wow…” you perch your lips, looking up as he chuckles with a shrug.

“You can’t put me between your legs and ask me not to feel anything.”

“Same.” You don’t wait for a reply, lowering your head on his lap, licking the length of his sensitive skin, keeping eye contact.

He breaths out, loudly, furrowing his brows. “You’re such a tease…”

Not giving him a verbal response, you take him in your mouth, feeling the pulsating of his heart in your cheeks. You move up and downwards, not leaving a single inch untouched by your tongue.

His voice goes weaker with every sucking motion. He scoops your hair, holding the strands to the side, watching you take over as you pleasure him, slowly picking up tempo.

Your lips wrapped around him make Bobby bend over a little, whispering closer. “Oh m-my god…” you push him further in your mouth, a loud gasp escaping his throat. He can’t help his cursing as you suck in, vigorously, while holding his gaze. “Fuck, Lass…” he shut his eyes, gripping your elbows, his stomach twitching lightly with your mouth work.

You smirk, taking him in your hand and with a stroking motion, you tease another grunt. Bobby cups your chin, taking your lips on his and pulls you up, effortlessly. “I want you.”

“Then take me.”

He places you on his lap, looking at you with admiration. You lower yourself down onto him, letting your hips descend on his, the warmth of his body intoxicating as his scent. He involves your waist with his arms, his mouth taking your breasts as you move back and forward, dominating him, eagerly.

He hisses while kissing your neck, moving to your ears, nipping close to them. A grunt resounds on your bare skin as you rock your hips against his, in circular motions.

He props on his hands, watching you as you move, your fingers digging his arms. He places one hand close to your hip bone, his thumb staying between you and him, rubbing your skin as you move on his lap.

With his lips parted, he exhales heavily, rubbing as you grind faster. A surge of electricity courses in your veins as he, deliciously, moans your name, now moving his hips with yours.

You toss your head back, holding Bobby by the thighs, riding him faster. He presses your chests together, your hearts beating in sync as you both grunt. His hands glide on your back, and he grits his teeth, burying his face between your breasts, breathing heavily, holding himself back. “Please, Lass… stop.”

You warn him. “I’m there… don’t hold back.”

He pulls away, looking at you, breathing with difficulty. “Are you …?” you nod, mounting him harder, luring a loud groan from him as he moves up and down, stroking inside of you, his thumb still dancing between your bodies. He sees the glistening of his lap, pleading for you as he embraces your torso.

“Fuck…” he can’t help his cussing when you both moan on each other’s ears, moving your hips together, waves of intense electricity coursing through you.

He raises his brows with anticipation, and you see his stomach muscles contract with his chest as he pants. “Babe…” you call out to him, resting your forehead on his. “Don’t hold back…”

You shut your eyes and Bobby trembles under your touch, his muscles jerking as he strokes inside of you, over and over. You melt together, a bliss so intense, you can’t stop moving, your soaked skin twitching around his, slowly stopping the waving motion of your hips, staying in place.

The arches of your feet scrape on top of his thighs and he involves you in his embrace, head tossed back and lips parted, under your chin. His grunts fade as you both move slower, now catching your breath.

Bobby lies back on the bed, beads of sweat running along the outlines of his pecs. “Holy shit!” he covers his eyes, shaking his head as he laughs.

“Is that a good thing?” you look at him expectantly, adjusting yourself on top of him, biting your lip with a grin.

He flexes to bounce back up, hugging your waist. “When it is not?”

“Point taken…”

He gets up from the bed, grabbing two water bottles from the minifridge, by the bathroom door. You stay seated, watching as he chuckles under his breath, walking towards you, the kilt flapping with the wind. You look down at the light fabric, biting your lip. “Whoa… again?”

“What… this?” he looks down. “It’s just… erm… reflex…” he hands you one of the bottles and you smile.

“Too bad…” you grip the bulge under his kilt, stroking it as you lean in. “Too bad indeed…”

He shakes his head with a smirk, his eyes rolling with pleasure, now tossing the bottles to the side and lifting you. You hold on to his neck with a laugh as he pins you on the closest wall. “Lass…”

“Yeah?”

His eyes focus on yours. He grazes his knuckles on your cheeks as he admires your traces. From your forehead to your chin, he takes in every detail of your physiognomy, a bright smile growing with every inch he covers with his gaze.

“I love you so much.”

You mirror his focus, his freckles looking even cuter under the fading sunlight. His skin, flashing the sun just as much, a golden tone as he shakes his head, embarrassingly smiling.

“I love you too, Bobby.”

Slowly, you lift the front portion of his kilt, adjusting your legs to stay around his waist. Bobby kisses you, in a calmer, passionate way. There’s an urge to have him, but it’s languorous, still.

There’s no hurry.

He places a strand of your hair behind your ear, kissing your cheek, adoringly. You feel his body pressing against yours, and as before, his hips move with yours. He flexes his knees, going deeper, coaxing a moan from you.

Suddenly, you remember the first time you and Bobby ever had a night together, back at the Hideaway. Impossible to forget such a first time. You remember being nervous, and out of the blue, the confident guy that you chose that night, was also feeling it, the nerves getting to you both.

The atmosphere in the room, that day, was light, joyful. Between a few shy kisses, and his hands travelling on the sides of your body, he couldn’t contain himself on how happy he was. He would beam after every kiss, unable to stop himself.

When you both stripped your clothes, you remember feeling something on the bottom of your stomach.

Butterflies.

You couldn’t help but feeling them, every time he touched you. Vulnerable, open, sincere, he was there, with you, trying his best to keep you happy. If only he knew how little it was necessary.

The spark that you felt on the first day transformed, somehow, in a deeper feeling. Every moment with him, over the course of the last two years, has been nothing but amazing.

It didn’t matter if an internal joke or an argument over something stupid. You found someone that not only is beautiful on the outside, like past relationships, but is also beautiful on the inside. He made sure you were cherished, respected. Loved.

Having Bobby in your arms will never get old. Your thoughts fade as you feel his warmth, his lips on your neck, groaning as he moves with you, but as he notices your lost eyes, he stops. “Lass…?”

“Yeah?” you focus your attention on him.

“Are you ok? Am I hurting you?” there’s a hint of worry in his voice as he looks at you, expectantly.

“No, it’s not that…” you chuckle. “Erm… can we move to the…” you nod to the bed with a tender look on your eyes.

“Of course.” He smiles, holding on to your legs and lying you on the bed, carefully as he lies on top of you.

You hook his waist with your leg, watching as he sinks into you, moving slowly. His lips never leave yours. you roam your hands on his back muscles, feeling them as they contract along with his hips, rolling against yours.

He mutters close to your ear, bringing a large smile on your lips. “I love you.”

You whisper your response, gripping his backside, rocking your hips together. Between moans and pleadings, you and Bobby tumble into bliss, again, holding each other as your bodies shudder at once, your names mingled with your gasps.


	20. A much needed conversation

After a couple of hours of sleep, you feel Bobby tense, under the covers. And no, not in a good way. Even with your eyes closed, you can sense some hesitant energy coming from him as he opens and closes his mouth, without saying anything.  
“Bobby…”  
“Y-yeah?”  
“What’s up?” you keep a calm tone in your voice, stirring under the duvet.  
Bobby hesitates, then speaks again, his voice unsure. “Do you wanna talk about something that happened at the wedding?”  
“What do you mean?”  
“Ah, you know… something that happened to you and maybe… you wanted to talk about it?”  
“Well, I had to say goodbye to my lover, but other than that…” he opens his mouth to scowl with an annoyed look, but before he says anything, you cut him short. “Kidding… I broke with him the night before…”  
“Lass…” he chuckles. “I’m serious. Nothing you wanna talk about?”  
“Well… there’s this one thing we sort of let go at the time, and then we were too tired to discuss.” You toss to face him, your cheek on the colder side of the pillow. “And you said something about you “knowing it”… and I don’t know what you meant.”  
Your voice is apprehensive at first, and as you wait for an answer, Bobby sighs. “Well…” he adjusts himself on the bed, resting his back on the headboard. “It’s just… I found it.”  
“You found… it?”  
“Yeah…” he takes a deep breath, looking at you. “It all fits!”  
“What fits? I genuinely don’t know what you’re talking about!”  
“Come on! Your mood swings, your endless hunger for chocolate, your weird “pissed off” persona, out of nowhere.” He watches your face crumpling into a more confused expression. “You… passed out in Chatham, after leaving an entire organ behind when you felt sick!” he faces you as your eyes go wide. “You really think I didn’t bribe the waiter and knew he was bringing you virgin cocktails all night?”  
“Y-you… y-you saw it…?”  
“Yes! I did! I just wished you… told me…” he shoots you a tender look, grazing his thumb on your temple. “But I’m… I’m really happy!”  
“Bobby…”  
He shakes his head with a huge grin, as if he was planning an entire lifetime, right before his eyes. You call out to him, again, placing a hand on his shoulder.  
“Bobby…”  
“Yeah, Lass?” he smiles confidently.  
“Erm… I don’t know how to say this…” A crease between his brows grows as you take his hands, caressing his knuckles. “That… that test… well…” you raise your brows, measuring your words.  
“Yeah…?”  
“It’s not mine.”  
Bobby’s face falls at once. “W-what?”  
“It’s… Priya’s…” you exhale slowly. “She’s the one who’s pregnant…” you frown, expecting a full on reaction, but instead, he smiles.  
“Y-you… you were covering for her?”  
“Yes… she… she called me in panic, the night before… Chelsea was with her, but she didn’t wanna take the test without me there. So… yesterday, in the morning, we were about to get ready, and that waiter bought more tests for us.” Seeing how crumpled Bobby’s face gets, you promptly explain. “Chelsea and I took one too, you know, to take the weight off her shoulders. She took both… it was a positive!” you laugh, embarrassed. “Both are hers.”  
“Both?” he leans forward, confused.  
“Yeah. We just hid them! Noah was going back and forth, and then… before I went to the first attempt of walking down the aisle, I saw one of them on the floor, and shoved it in the drawer.”  
“Ok…” he narrows his eyes in confusion. “You see… I remember Noah saying he had a couple of calming pills in the room… so, when I went there, to the bedroom you got ready, I searched for them… in all drawers… there was only one pregnancy test in there, Lass…”  
“No… there were two! Chelsea tossed ours in the garbage, and Priya said hers were in the drawer!” you gesture widely. “I guess in the panic of hiding them, one fell on the floor and she didn’t see it!”  
Bobby gets up from his place on the bed, searching in one of his suitcase’s pockets, picking up a plastic object, showing it to you. “Lass… there was only one!”  
“Ew! You brought that with you?!”  
“Not the point I’m trying to make here!” He waves the stick in the air, visibly confused.  
“No! It’s hers! Chelsea tossed mine and hers in the garbage, in the bathroom! I saw her doing it!” he shrugs with brows raised. “You know what… I’ll call her! I’ll call her, and you will see!” you grab your laptop, connecting with Priya on a video call. She picks up almost right away, thick reading glasses on the bridge of her nose.  
“Hi! Wow… is Bobby so boring you had to call me for backup?!” she snorts at her own joke, covering her mouth as she sees him, still letting a fading chuckle out. “Oops! Sorry, Bobbs!”  
“You’re so funny! Tell me! How is pregnancy treating ya?! He joins your side with infatuation in his voice.  
“Bobby!” you slap his bare arm, Priya’s eyes go wide.  
“You told him?!”  
“I swear, he, in a way, already knew…” you raise your hands with a defensive motion.  
“No, I didn’t! I thought Lass was pregnant!” he waves the plastic stick, with a positive blue sign on it. “That’s what I thought…”  
Priya leans on, to see the content in Bobby’s hand, better. “Wait…” She gets up from her bed, coming back a couple of moments later, holding two sticks in her own hands. “These are mine…”  
“W-w-what…” you stammer, looking at both tests in her hands. Clear positives on both as she brings them closer to the camera, and it focuses on the plus signs. “T-that… that’s…” you squint with confusion, shaking your head.  
Bobby eyes you and Priya, in turns, expectantly. “M-maybe is… Chelsea’s…?”  
“What is mine?” She appears on camera, next to Priya, also wearing reading glasses.  
You all share a look as she perkily looks at the test in Bobby’s hand. “What in the world?!” she gestures to him, also wide-eyed. “Why are you holding Priya’s test?!”  
Just then, you wave your hands in the air, trying to find a plausible explanation. “O-ok, ok… erm… ok.” You can’t catch your breath, feeling your heart thumping strongly in your chest, now moving to pace the room, with a confused expression. “O-ok… there’s gotta be an explanation, right?”  
“To what? Although… wait!” Chelsea’s eyes stop on both of Priya’s hands raised, noticing the tests. “Wait! What…?” she points to Bobby, trying to understand. “W-what…” she trails off, more confused than all of you.  
Bobby gathers his voice and focuses his gaze on your maid-of-honor. “Could it be yours, Chels?” he says, nodding to the stick.  
“I doubt it… I broke mine as soon as I saw the negative…”  
You stop, mid pacing. All four mouths hanging open as realization had dawned on you like a punch in the gut. You feel the wind being knocked off, immediately running to the bathroom.  
Bobby ends the video call, shooting the girls a remorseful look. “Sorry…” he closes the screen, now moving to follow you, tilting his torso with concern. “Hey…”  
“I’m such an irresponsible fuck!” you throw your arms, gesturing all around. “I’m such a fucking idiot! How is it possible that I got them mixed up!?” you scratch the back of your head, pacing incisively, as he watches you, not knowing what to do. “I drank alcohol last night, Bobby!” you grip his cheeks, squeezing them, producing a pout on his lips. “I drank alcohol yesterday!! I chugged a wine bottle!! Do you have…”  
“Wait…” he talks through his forced pout. “You drank an entire wine bottle yesterday?”  
“Yes!! I’m such an idiot!” you shake his face as you speak, still gripping his head with unknown strength. “I chugged several…. Several rum punches! You have no idea! I was competing with Gary to see how many I could chug! And I won!” you stop talking, eyes wide on his.  
“Ok…” Bobby brushes his fingers on your hand, carefully moving them as he responds. “Lass… you need to calm yourself down…” Just then, a knock on the door cuts him short, and he pulls you to go to the bedroom, sitting you on the edge of the bed. “Just… wait here.”  
The food you ordered arrived, and as he tips the hotel employee, he closes the door, pouring you a glass of water. “Everything is gonna be ok. Just drink…”  
“Yeah, apparently that’s what I do best!” you swig from the glass, taking a deep breath while he sits next to you.  
“Look… we don’t know for sure. It could be a false positive…”  
“So… w-what…”  
“We can go to a drugstore and buy a couple… just to make sure. We can even order them!” he points to the phone.  
“That’s… that’s a good idea…” you trail off, eyes lost on the cream-colored carpet, your hands rubbing against each other.  
He picks up the phone, dialing the reception number, trying to maintain a calm voice. “Hi.”  
As Bobby makes the request, your mind floods with innumerous possibilities, and suddenly, you grab your phone, checking your calendar. Your eyes skim on the dates from last month, calculating how many days it has been since you got your period, the last time.  
Bobby hangs up, with a reassuring smile, and moves to the door, throwing a robe over his body. “Hey…”  
“Yeah?” you raise your eyes from the screen, lost in thought.  
“I’ll be right back. Don’t worry yourself. We’re in this, together.” He smiles widely, trying his best to not look scared by your panicked face.  
“We fucking better! We’re married!” you scowl, and Bobby’s face lights up.  
“Right… we are married! Huh…” he nods to himself, still goofily smiling, luring one from you. “I’ll be right back.”  
He closes the door behind him, leaving you alone with your loud thoughts. You walk around, biting your nails, chipping the nail polish while calculating your last seven periods. Of course, it can happen, for a girl to have it late, but in your case, it was a lot of coincidences all at once.  
You did feel different for the past few weeks. There were plenty of chocolate attacks at dawn, and various times you felt sick without even eating anything different.  
At the time, in Chatham, you really considered the possibility of Bobby’s dish being the culprit. Especially because, after that day, you only felt sick a couple of times, but nothing so excruciating.  
Of course, he was right about your mood swings. You remember your mom speaking of them as they were common in your family. “You nan had them, I had them, every auntie went through them too…”  
As your mom’s voice fades in the back of your mind, the door cracks open and Bobby enters the room, a small brown bag in his hands. You walk towards him, your eyes lost on his as a sudden panic takes you again. “What if I am, Bobby?”  
“What do you…?” he bites his lips, innocently, looking at you with confusion.  
“I’m serious about the wine!”  
He laughs, relieved. “Lass… if you’re really early, it’s… just… let’s take the tests, first, shall we? The lady said these don’t need to be taken with your first… you know… of the day. So…”  
“So… I can take them now. And get my answer.”  
“Yeah. Unless…” Bobby raises his hands. “Unless you wanna do this later.”  
“No. No. I wanna… I wanna know now.” Your hands, instinctively, pick them up from the bag and you head to the bathroom. “Stay here.”  
“Ok. Are you sure?” he feathers your elbow with his fingertips.  
“Yeah… it will only take me a minute. But I do want you to wait with me.”  
“Of course!” he shakes his head, lightly, pulling you slowly, to kiss your forehead. “I’ll be here…”  
The bathroom door closes, and suddenly, you’re very aware of the tiles and their colors, mixing themselves with the rays of sun coming from the small window above the tub.  
A little unsure, and with your heart pounding, you follow the instructions, sighing as you finish, moving to the sink, to place them on top of a strip of toilet paper, washing your hands right after.  
Your mind swivels through every single moment from the day before. All the stress you were under when the officiant passed out, Gary offered to perform the ceremony, Bobby gone. And this entire time, it never crossed your mind that he could’ve stayed because…  
“Bobby!” you slam the door open, jabbing a finger on his chest. “Why did you stay yesterday?!”  
“W-what?!” he takes steps back.  
“Why did you stay yesterday?” you step forward, still aggressively talking through your teeth. “You said you were in panic and wanted to leave! You wanted to postpone! What made you stay!?” you puff air from your mouth, waiting for his answer. The reason for your question suddenly hovers between you.  
“Lass… it had nothing to do with the test!”  
“You hid it from me!!” you slap his arm. “You had it with you, didn’t you?!”  
He stammers. “Y-yeah…”  
“Was it the reason why you stayed?” your eyes flare with doubt as your mouth keeps moving. “Because if you did, I swear I’ll leave right now!”  
“W-what? Why?”  
“Because!”  
You tilt your head up, trying to catch your breath, and clear as day, you see Bobby, on the day before. He was always taking extra care to not let you take his jacket off, or fumbling with the pockets as you talked at the parking lot. He was hiding something, and now, it made sense.  
“I didn’t want you to marry me because I might be pregnant! I wanted you to want this for me!”  
“It was for you!” he grips your shoulders. “Lass! Look at me!”  
You sniff, feeling a dizziness take over.  
“Lass! I love you more than anything in this life! What are you talking about?!”  
“Y-you… you had the test yesterday!”  
“Yes!” he nods, his eyes on yours. “And I saw the velvet box before the test! I went to the car, searching for anything that would help me stay calm… and when I opened the glove compartment, there it was… the box was there!” he gestures to the side, his voice with a hint of desperation. “… waiting for me to find it!” he smiles. “But I still had palpitations, so I went upstairs, heard you guys in the other room, and because you said you didn’t want us to see each other’s outfits, I figured I had to be quick! So, I went through the drawers, looking for the pills Noah mentioned and then…”  
Bobby perches his lips, furrowing his brows. “Then I found it… I was just trying to get something for my anxiety, that’s all. You can imagine how it felt when I saw that piece of plastic in your room. The one you and only you, got ready. I was thrilled!”  
“You… so, you didn’t stay because…”  
“Of course not!” he brings you to a tight bear hug, kissing the top of your head.  
“Then why didn’t you say anything?!”  
“B-because… if it was in a drawer, then maybe… maybe you weren’t ready to talk about it… I didn’t wanna push you. But the entire day, I waited for you to give me the smallest clue, and you didn’t, so I…” he trails off, sitting on the bed, motioning for you to join him. “I thought you could be insecure. So that’s why I said it that way… I wanted you to know I was happy about it.”  
“And I had no clue what that meant, because I thought Priya…” you roll your eyes, feeling a sudden exhaustion. “I’m sorry…”  
His hands snake on your waist. “Lass… it’s ok. If you stayed with me because of a child, I would be pissed off too!” he winks. “I wouldn’t do that to you. I never had a doubt in my mind, about marrying you. Just about the date.”  
You laugh, relieved, but a couple of tears of stress roll on your cheeks. “Ah, I’m such a melt…”  
“Hey… you’re just under a lot of stress. We barely came out alive from our wedding, and now, we’re dealing with this… you’re stressed. It’s… you know what?”  
He gets up, resolution in his gaze. He closes the bathroom door and moves to the table, where the breakfast is spread, pulling one of the chairs for you. “Let’s get some food in you before anything else.”  
“Bobby…”  
“I mean it! You need to eat something, and then…” he exhales. “Then we can worry about the rest. Deal?”  
You take his hand, shaking it, a little unsure. “Ok… deal.”  
As the cloches are lifted, his face brightens up with the items you chose. “Lass… this is a great spread!”  
“Is it? I had no idea what you would to eat, so I ordered everything!” you shrug, with a weak smile. “We have ackee, callaloo, beef liver…” you point to a loaf and a few fried squares next to each other. “I remember you love bammy, and then, hard dough bread, fried plantains…” You continue to list every item you chose, not noticing Bobby right in front of you, gazing at you tenderly. You cut youself short, eyeing him for the first time, with a smile. “W-what…?”  
He leans in, holding the sides of your face, scooping your hair. “I love you.” You smile to yourself, soothing his forearms with your fingertips, leaning in for a kiss.  
“There’s also… erm… bacon, green tea and ovaltine tea…”  
“Of course there is…” his arms embrace you, deeply, your head resting on his chest, reassurance flooding from his body. “I didn’t expect anything less…”  
\--  
After breakfast, and a much needed moment after so much food, you and Bobby stay on the chairs, holding hands. He takes a deep, long breath, squeezing your fingers with his. “Do you… wanna look?”  
“I-I… I don’t know…” you blurt out. “It would be for the best. We’re on our honeymoon, and I need to know if I can enjoy everything!”  
“You mean…?”  
“Depending on how far I am, I shouldn’t even be able to snorkel, right?”  
“Well… I have no idea! But I know one thing. You need to be feeling better to take a peek. How are you feeling right now?”  
“Erm… I think I’m… ok.” Another wave of dizziness crashes. “Sort of… I’ve been feeling this wooziness since we talked to Priya.”  
“It could be…” Bobby’s lips part, suggestively, as he nods to the bathroom.  
“Just… let’s just look. I think it’s for the best. If I’m feeling anxious over this, then…” you trail off.  
Bobby bolts from his seat, grabbing both tests from the sink, rolled in toilet paper.  
“I take you’re curious?” you smile smugly, sharing a laugh as he chuckles, nervously.  
“Sorry!”  
“No… don’t apologize. I wanna know too… it’s just…” you bite your lip. “Remember the last time? We thought I was… and then… it was terribly disappointing?”  
“Lass.” His face crumples into a serious facade as he takes a seat close to you, dropping both sticks on the floor. “I told you before. It wasn’t disappointing then, and it’s not gonna be now if you’re not pregnant.”  
You open your mouth to speak, but you catch the results from the corner of your eye. “Babe…” you point to the wrapped plastic sticks, waiting for his eyes to be downcast, to see the same thing you do.  
“Lass…”  
Your eyes meet and Bobby picks them up, comparing, seeing the same result on both tests.  
“Do they say the same?”  
He nods, eyes going back and forth between them, then meeting yours.  
“It’s the same on both.”  
“So…” you tilt your head. “That’s… our answer…”  
~~


	21. The finale

The plan for your honeymoon was set. The moment you and Bobby took a good look on the map, to decide where to go, it was clear, like the map itself blurted out what you were both thinking, almost lightening the way.

And even though your vacation had a rocking start, the moment you got the results from your pregnancy test, it was easier to enjoy the rest of the two weeks you had planned, carefree.

The location of the hotel was the best suggestion from Damerae. “You should stay at the Walter Fletcher beach…” Bobby furrowed his brows, confused. His father completed his sentence with a smirk. “There’s a waterpark there…”

Indeed, it was quick and easy to access the Aquasol theme park and neither of you were willing to waste the opportunity of spending your day descending on the waterslide, over and over again.

And every time you did, you were followed by a very perky Bobby, his legs hugging yours as you followed the tubes for the millionth time that day.

“This is the best waterslide I’ve ever been in!” he gestures to the attraction behind you, smiling as you hand him an ice cream cone. He looked so legitimately beaming, even more than usual.

“Agree…” you couldn’t stop grinning, specially after Bobby, not on purpose, turned to walk towards the bathroom and hit his face on the elephant trunk, in the middle of the kids’ pool.

“Oh my god!” you ran to his rescue, trying to stifle a laugh. It was easier, once you saw blood gushing from his nose, immediately giving your ice cream cone to the first kid around.

You rushed to the lockers, grabbing your stuff as quickly as you could, ushering Bobby to a cab, to go to the hospital. “Please, sir! My boyf…” you stopped yourself, smiling as you shook your head, to correct your words. “My h-husband needs to go to the nearest hospital!”

“How did you manage to hurt yourself, young man?” The cab driver was baffled.

“You wouldn’t believe me…” he talked in a muffled voice, through a towel as you held it against his nose, trying to stop the bleeding.

As you arrived at the hospital, the doctor equipped Bobby with a nose splint, also confused on how or when a twenty-eight-year-old managed to break his nose, in a water park. “It’s just water around…” the doctor said, still stifling a laugh, along with you as Bobby stayed annoyed .

“On our last day…” you said as you led him to the elevator, back at the hotel. “Coming through!! Watch for those fingers, lady, Mr. Hannibal here is hungry!” you would gesture to Bobby, who would do everything in his power to not laugh.

“You know it hurts to laugh, right!?” he would nudge you, stifling several chuckles.

“Coming through, Hannibal is on the run! Coming through!”

“Lass! Stop!” he would shut his eyes, every time, not being able to hold back. “When the bleeding restarts, you’re the one who’s gonna take me back, so… I don’t even care! Call me Hannibal all you want!” he shrugged, watching you smugly.

You hesitated, pausing. “Broken nose… broken nose coming through!”

As you swiped the magnetic card on the door, you walked in, still remembering the moment Bobby walked in the elephant trunk, face first. “You know what… only you to get this hurt on our honeymoon…”

“That’s not true…”

You shoot him a knowing look, closing the door behind you.

“I… yeah…” deflated, he took a seat by the table, cocking his head to see himself on the reflection of the mirror, in the bathroom. “I look ridiculous!”

“Babe, you…” you try to find comforting words, but he’s looking, undeniably, funny. “I’m sorry…” you let out a series of laughs, luring one from him as he sighed with a sad chuckle.

“At least I managed to ruin things on the last day!”

“What a way to see the bright side of things, huh…” you leaned over, giving him a lingering kiss on his forehead.

It was true your honeymoon lasted quite nicely until that moment. Between the beaches, and the breathtaking landscape, you and Bobby managed to have fun, even in the hotel, when it rained for a couple of days.

“Alright, ready?”

Bobby dived in the indoor pool before doing the countdown when you two competed to see who would catch the coin first, as you both swam to the bottle, in search of his lucky ten pence.

You opened your eyes, underwater, seeing the brightness of it, luring you to grab it, but Bobby was faster. He was grinning as he resurfaced, victorious with his trophy in hand, doing a little victory dance as you hoisted yourself from the water. You gestured, widely, pointing at his hand. “You cheated!”

“Your point…?” he shrugged deeply, annoying you to the point you shoved him in the water, walking away to grab a towel. “Oh, come on, Lass! Don’t be such a sore loser!” he grinned so largely, your body took an impulse, jumping on top of him, on the water, mounting his back.

“Repeat it!”

“Sore loser!” he stared at you with wild eyes as he waved the lucky pence around, your head directly behind his.

“Come on, admit it, you cheated!” you would pinch the sides of his stomach, trying your best to ripple an apology from him. “Cheater!”

On the next day, you went to the water park for the first time, amazed with the vision from the beaches, on top of the waterslides. Bobby, somehow, managed to burn the sides of his thighs as he came crashing over you, on the pool, at the end of the ride.

While you sat him down, and bought a balm, at the gift shop, you grazed your palms, soothing his bruised skin with the aloe vera lotion. “I mean… you made such a big deal about it… it doesn’t look that bad.” You examine closer to see just not more than three inches of a burn and it wasn’t even that red.

He smirked at you, in response, scooping your wet hair to the side, holding your gaze. “I just wanted you to take care of me…”

“You… all you have to do is ask, Bobby… I like taking care of you. Same way you do to me…” you wink.

“That’s so sweet, Lass…”

“Yeah.” You cut your smile short, slapping his thigh, luring a shout of pain.

“Hey! That hurt!”

“Ha! Now you actually need it.” You wave the bottle around with a smug laugh. “Karma…”

Despite your hotel having a restaurant, Bobby managed to find the most romantic spot on the beach. It was a discrete little place, by the shore, which had several small tents so you could have a private meal. No wind or sand, and most importantly, far from prying eyes.

He opened the flaps of the tent, rising from a pallet structure, leading you to take a seat by the small round table, lighting up the candles under the small cloches. “It’s nice in here, isn’t it?”

“It’s gorgeous…” the sea breeze would gust in, through the flaps, bringing a fresh scent from the ocean, and a portion of the starred sky. You looked around the tent, equipped with not only the table for you to have your dinner, but also, a small setting on the corner, several throw pillows decorating a small bed, set to accommodate at least one person.

“Why do they have a bed in here?” you pointed at it, a crease between your eyebrows.

“They don’t… but some things can be handled on the side…” Bobby’s smirk is visible and smug as he bites his lip.

“Who told you, you would get lucky in here, McKenzie?” you scoffed, crossing your legs with a smug look in your eyes.

“Your body language... McKenzie.” He scooped you in his arms, brushing his lips on your ear as he whispered. “Unless you’re not into it…”

“When am I not into it?” You threw him on the mattress on the floor, kneeling between his legs, gripping his hands to untie your dress. “You’re lucky you’re hot, Bobby…”

“And that you love me, right…?” he looked with a pleading tone in his eyes and a smile on the corner of his mouth.

“Sure…”

For the entirety of those two weeks, as fast as they went by, you found yourself lost in the beauty of the location you picked. From the hotel balcony, where you shared many toasts to your new life, sometimes, in the middle of the afternoon, you would take a seat to appreciate the view.

Bobby would bring you a sweating glass of a beverage, to enjoy the calm sunset with you.

“Can we live here, Lass?”

“I wish…” you shook your head more than you noticed, not being able to believe how exuberant the landscape could be.

“We need to come back here more.” He took a sip of his drink, humming with satisfaction. “I thought the beach we were in the show was beautiful…” he trailed off as you both watched a pack of birds on the railing, bickering the wood while the sky turned from a bright blue to several tones of purple, lilac, pink, and the darkness took place.

With the exception of those two days, not a single cloud made an appearance. It was a pleasant day, after the other. Hen not on the balcony, you would get down, to walk on the sand, lacing fingers with your husband.

The waves crashed on your feet, a warm dash of water on your ankles, just enough to lure a laugh from you as you tried to escape. “Ha… you really think you can run?” a smug Bobby would scoop water to splash on you, bringing back the memory from the Villa.

“Do you remember that day…?” you asked, adjusting your hair after the fourth or fifth time he splashed you.

“I do. The girls were… well, as always. And you came to talk to me, by the pool.”

“Do you remember what I told you back then?”

His eyes go from your toes to your eyes, a smile growing on his lips. “Just have some fun…”

You took his hand, to lean your cheek on his palm. “I’m so glad you took my advice, Bobby.”

He tilted his head, his dreads wet on his brow. “Why do you think I proposed to you, Lass?”

Somehow, in his company, the beach looked brighter, the waves tamed, the turquoise more intense, and the gliding of the sunlight on your skin, more reassuring and relaxing than it has ever been. The flavor of life is just different after him.

Not a day went by without an attack of his fingers, digging your sensitive spots, in hopes to make you laugh, or a night that you didn’t feel safe in his arms, whether you were in bed or lying somewhere, on the beach, after not being able to control yourselves.

For every bite of food that you enjoyed next to him, somehow, you understood what Damerae told you, while you shared a dance at the reception of your wedding. “At some degree, it has to be easy.”

And it was.

It still is.

~~

“That’s not fair!” you pointed to Bobby’s light hands stealing flour from your package. “Judge?!” you look at the corner to see the judge’s eyes avoiding Bobby’s larceny. “This is so unfair!”

“Lass! Focus on your cake and maybe you won’t lose again, ok?” your husband winks smugly, pouring the two cups of stolen flour in his bowl, now moving to grab the eggs and sugar, on your side of the counter.

“Are you kidding me, McKenzie?! That’s a clear violation of the rules! Judge’s rule?”

“I don’t see anything!” the judge crosses his arms over his chest. “I don’t see anything…” he repeats his sentence, stealing a handful of chocolate chips and shoving in his mouth.

“We’ll see about that!” you manage to gather more ingredients, running against the clock, to assemble everything in your mixer. Before Bobby can open his mouth to speak, you mix the batter, letting it be whipped while you spray your pans, preparing yourself to stick them into the oven. “You’re going down, Bobby…” you whisper, menacingly.

“We’ll see about that…” he gives you a nod and a serious look, maintaining eye contact as his colorful mix goes into several small pans in front of him. “I suggest you… pay attention to your cake, Mrs. McKenzie…”

“I am… don’t worry about me!” you narrow your eyes. “Worry about your crappy cake!”

A gasp comes from the corner and you immediately retract yourself. “I meant… happy cake! Worry about your happy cake!” your husband grins at your fail.

“Nice one…”

Once the oven doors opened, you and Bobby sprinted with the pans in hand, shoving one by one in the leveled grids. A whistle announces the end of round one, making you and Bobby clear your stations for the next round.

“And the round starts in 3… 2… 1… go!” the judge announces the start, forcing you and your husband to run to the same fridge, picking up your ingredients. You raise colorful containers of chips, glitter, sprinkles and heart shaped chocolate for the judge’s opinion.

He raises a thumb for all of them, shrugging.

“You need to pick one.” You said, staring at the labels.

“But I like them all, mom!”

“Damon…” Bobby’s arms were carrying multiple bottles and pots, as he nudged the little judge, offering him a cookie.

“Look at you… managing to steal yet another victory!” you scoff at Bobby, shooting him a wink.

“You don’t need to fight… you only need to feed me…” Damon stays on the counter, his little legs fluttering as he finishes the whole cookie in one bite.

You lean in to whisper to Bobby. “Huh… is that another cookie I see in his tiny hands?”

“Yes, ma’am…!”

“Did you forget Priya and Chelsea are coming and it’s your night to watch Damon and the twins…?” you wink at him, cheekily, clearly pleased with yourself. He stops on his tracks, watching as Damon ravishes another cookie that you left on the counter.

“Damn it!” he starts whipping the buttercream, fighting the urge of calling quits on the competition.

“What’s the matter, babe? Too hard?” you pout, luring a delightful laugh from your son, while mixing your own cream, adding blue sprinkles the little one just picked.

“You know Damon loves my buttercream… right buddy?!” He shoots his son a cheeky wink.

“Yeah!”

“Psh! Please! He loves buttercream, period…” as you finish incorporating the glitter, you rush to put the ingredients back, and to place your mix in the fridge, to gain body. Bobby struggles to finish his, and as you notice, when waking by, you lean in, out of earshot, whispering. “Need a hand…?”

“Nah, it’s cool…” he smiles at you, but furrows his brows once his son shoots him a look.

“No talking during the competition. Those are the rules. You two lose a thousand points!”

Yours and Bobby’s mouths hang open as you stare at each other, but with a hint of pride in your eyes. “He’s definitely your son…” he says, before you slap his arm, playfully.

“Ma’am, do I need to take more points from you?” Damon’s voice comes out with disapproval. “This is a… a…” a crease appears between his brows as he searches for the word. “A violation!”

“Sorry, judge.” You turn to Bobby who smirks while beating the buttercream. “Wipe that smile off your face ‘cause you’re going down!”

After a few minutes, your phone rings, alerting you about the cakes in the oven. “Hey, Day… wanna see the cakes coming out?”

He nods, enthusiastically, before you pick him up, throwing him over your shoulder. The scent of vanilla invades the room as Bobby watches you carry Damon to the other side of the ‘McKenzie’s’ kitchen, a proud smile on your lips. You flex your arm, nodding at him. “Pilates, bitch…”

“Show off…” he said between smiles.

The fresh smell of baked good emanates from your pans, flooding the kitchen. You and the little judge hum with satisfaction, placing them on the counters. “It smells pretty good, right?” you nudge him with a smile, and his eyes stay close to the pans, one by one, being taken off the oven.

Bobby comes from behind you, resting his chin on your shoulder. “How do we know that it’s ready, baby?” he asks while looking at your son and the cakes, in turns.

“You need to put the stick in… if it comes out clean… it’s ready.” His voice gets excited every time he shows off his knowledge on baking.

“Very good!” he high fives his son, picking him up to grab his cakes, on the other side.

“Hey, not only you cheat on the competition, buy his vote with cookies, and now you’re stealing my helper?!”

“What can I say? He’s too cute!” your husband puts Damon on the table next to the ovens, lifting the little boy’s shirt and snoring on his stomach, luring a loud laugh from your son. He chokes while laughing, holding his father’s head, trying to stop him, but failing miserably. Bobby pulls away, chuckling along, now gesturing to the mittens behind the boy. “Now, let’s put these on, shall we?” he throws one over Damon’s head.

You watch the boy squirm, pulling the mitten up. “Dad!”

“Oh, sorry… put the mitten on the wrong place…” Bobby facepalms while sharing a chuckle with you.

Once his pans are out of the oven, you rush to see the shape of the cakes, but he blocks your eyes. “No peeking at the competition, ma’am!”

You roll your eyes, shaking your head with perched lips. “Say, judge… how would you feel about having another cookie? And maybe we could pour some ice cream with this one!”

“Hm…” your eyes never leave Bobby’s as you walk towards the freezer, grabbing the ice cream pints and scooping two gigantic balls of the chocolate flavor, throwing a handful of sprinkles and handing it to your son. You whisper in the distance. “I can play dirty, too…”

“Oh… I can see that!” he stays next to you, trying his best to take dollops of ice cream the fastest he can, to not let Damon eat too much.

“Relax, dad, it’s Saturday… ice cream time!” your eyes go wild with every bite of the dessert Bobby misses.

He rubs his eyes, already looking tired. “This is not gonna go well for me, is it?”

“Oh, no… and I’ll tell you more.” You lean in, whispering. “This is revenge for the frosting incident.”

“I had to take the call, Lass!” he laughs, watching more and more ice cream enter his son’s mouth, taken aback with every fast bite. “He’s really fast!”

“Oh, I know! You don’t think I know that?!”

You both fold your arms over your chests, grinning at your son as he finishes his dessert. Moving to check the creams in the fridge, you and your husband start decorating your cakes while the judge watches over you, his arms over his chest.

You do the best you can to even out the buttercream between the layers, but Bobby is more experienced, and soon, is beating you not only in time, but also in aesthetics.

“Check it out, Lass…” he gloats about the perfectly spread cream, now moving on to drop the fondant from the wooden roll, effortlessly. You scowl, not amused at all, trying your best, until…

“No!!” you shake your head when your cake tilts to the side, the fondant crumpling within itself and the buttercream spreading all over the cake stand. “Ah… it’s gone…!” after a couple of deep breaths, your head hangs back with defeat, and your stomach growls, loudly.

Bobby stops working on his decorations, moving from his station to the fridge, to pick up a bowl of salad, while Damon opens a drawer, under his feet, to grab a fork, handing it to you, food and utensil.

“Thanks baby. Thanks, babe…”

“Gotta keep Nessie fed, right?”

You graze a hand on your stomach, chuckling. “Her official name is gonna be Vanessa… so…”

“But it’s such an awesome monster!” he shrugs, turning to Damon for backup, who perks up, looking at you.

“It really is!” the boy’s eyes go wild, in support of his father.

“See, a man who knows what’s what! Besides… she eats like Nessie!”

Your mouth opens but you can’t speak, grinning as you shake your head. “I thought I was Nessie…”

“You are! Don’t get things mixed up… but she…” he looks tenderly at your belly. “She’s the official Nessie...”

“Oh, shush!” You move to stay beside your son, taking a seat as you open the lid of your salad, eating while watching Bobby do his magic, finishing the cake.

Among all the feelings you’re having in this pregnancy, the biggest one is definitely happiness. While on Damon’s you had many dizzy episodes, a lot of mood swings and hunger, on Nessie’s, it’s all about the food.

“And snacks, meals and all the synonyms you can possibly think about.” Your husband was having the time of his life, doing his best to keep your weird cravings satisfied. “You said chocolate and pot roast was disgusting!” he threw his arms one day, while preparing dinner and you tossed chocolate chips in your plate.

“It was! Now, I want it!”

“I don’t understand pregnancies, man…”

“And you think I do? I’m just giving what your daughter is asking! It’s not my fault she eats like a pothead in the middle of the night.”

You couldn’t believe how quickly Bobby took the dad role and made it look so easy. It doesn’t matter if he was playing with Damon in the kitchen, or teaching him how to make the perfect Bouillabaisse, even though the little one doesn’t understand much. It’s still one of your favorite moments of the day.

That, after spending your nights lying in bed, watching kids’ shows until your son falls asleep. It’s not ideal, but you wouldn’t trade it for the world. Having his head on your shoulder, between you and Bobby must be the warmest feeling you have ever had.

“He snores softly, just like his father, but his stomach growls loudly, like his mother’s.” According to Bobby, of course.

And even though you tease him about it, it’s one of your favorite moments of the day to have your husband talking to his daughter, before going to bed.

“And now that you made your mother eat the weirdest stuff, you should go to sleep…” he always brushes his lips on your stomach, looking u as you eat your before-bed snack. “Good night, princess.”

“Princess, huh? Does that make me the queen?”

“Do you still doubt it?” Bobby shoots you a smile, before picking Damon up, lowering him so you can give his cheek a peck.

“Good night, baby.”

“Good night, mom…”

His father always throws his over his own shoulder, tickling on the way to the room next to yours. The Alladdin lamp, on his light blue dresser, stays on, just in case.

“Good night, dad.”

Damon’s little finger wiggles for Bobby to lean in closer. “She’s really big, isn’t she?”

“Shh, don’t say that in front of her…” he laughs, kissing his forehead and fist-bumping. “Good night big guy.”

As he steps out of the room, his dad shoots him a wink, before closing the door.

“So…” he takes his place under the covers, grabbing his phone to check tomorrow’s schedule. “We have to meet with that guy from the accountant’s office…”

“Right. And we have a possible address for the second unit.” You check your phone, while chewing on your food, sending Bobby the information through text. “Also, we have a couple of interviews in Glasgow, so we should get there a couple of hours earlier.”

He beams from his phone, still scrolling. “Can’t believe it… a second unit…” he stops, narrowing his eyes to read a message. “Oh… what should we wear at Chelsea’s wedding…? I mean, I know you’re the maid-of-honor, but I wanna scare her… you know?” he keeps reading an email, sent by your realtor, back in Glasgow.

“Oh… I mean… you’re gonna be at the altar as well… and I think Andrew chose the grey suit…”

“Grey? Kinda boring, but ok…”

“Yeah… I mean… it’s better than pink, right?” Your phone chimes and Gary’s name appears on a notification. “Babe…” your eyes skim on the message as you show him the picture you just got. “He finished Nessie’s crib… look how cute!”

He cocks his head, watching you scroll to the photo. “Oh my god… I’m still… how does he do that?” he gestures to your phone. “From scratch!”

“I think he says the same thing about your food…”

You and Bobby share a laugh, then a sigh as you see the rustic, wooden crib, involuntary smiles growing on both of your lips.

“He really, really spent too long on this one…!” your husband shakes his head, but still, admires the outlines of the piece of furniture, holding the phone in his hands. “You know… the last time we were there, he would go on and on about the cherry tree being the best and somehow, I left his place knowing more about varnish than…”

He notices you’re silent and turns his focus on you, to see your eyes closed as you fell asleep. You let out a soft snore, luring a tender chuckle from him. “Alright.”

Bobby adjusts your head on the pillow, putting your snack pack on your nightstand, grazing a thumb on your forehead, kissing your cheek.

Before lying down, he puts both phones on his side, setting the alarm for the morning, taking a swig from his water.

“Good night, lass…”

The last thing Bobby sees, every night, it’s the ingredients’ list you handed to him, seven months ago. The piece of paper, framed on the wall, on his side of the bedroom, stayed there since that night, along with the positive signs from Damon’s pregnancy’s tests.

He reads the words on the paper, at least once a day, to remind himself of his own kind, warm words, before bringing you closer, so you rest on his chest.

a heaped spoonful of love

a dash of nurturing and care

and dad jokes

...

again :)


End file.
